Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knife
The famous fightingknife used by British commandos and SOE during WW2

Another name I would like to mention is Curt Johanesen (Norway) who gave a very nice lecture in our association about  SOE (Special Operations Executive) activities in Norway during WW2. You will find pictures from his Collection here.
Please note pictures from SOE equipment in Norway HERE.

The story about the Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knife starts in England 1940.
In 1940 the British formed special commandos to carry out raids. The initiative came from Winston Churchill in 1940. On the 8 June 1940, Section M09 of the War Office was brought into being. The name commando was taken from small effective mobile Boer units during the war in South Africa 1899-1902.

Two of the first instructors were Captain William Ewart Fairbairn (b. 28 February 1885, d. 20 June 1960) and Captain Eric Anthony Sykes (b. 5 February 1883, d. 12 May 1945). These middle aged gentlemen trained the young soldiers in a new and difficult mode of close-combat fighting at the Commando Basic Training Centre, Achnacarry, Scotland.

The system they devised utilised techniques drawn from Jiu Jitsu, Gatka, Kung Fu and 'Gutter Fighting'. It proved extremely effective. They were natural choices for the job. Both had served in the Shanghai Municipal Police Force, facing death daily in the dark, narrow streets and alleys of the city against armed thugs and organised gangs. In Shanghai they had made some fighting knives out of bayonets.

The Shanghai fighting knife.

Here is an early Shanghai knife made from a bayonet.

Here are some of these Shanghai knives  (photos by Dr. Wm. Windrum from M. Silvey)

Churchill described the commandos as 'a steel hand from the sea'

The need for a proper fighting knife, for these commandos, was apparent from the first few weeks of training specialized personnel. As Fairbairn later wrote, "...the authorities did not recognize a fighting knife as part of the equipment of the fighting services. In fact, such a thing as a fighting knife could not be purchased anywhere in Great Britain."

Until now, there had never been an official knife for the British armed services, although many types of knife had been authorised for use in the past. Bowie style knives were carried by some of the Imperial Yeomantry during the South African War of 1900-1901, and in World War I cut-down bayonets, privately purchased hunting knives, or captured German issue folding knives were extensively utilised.

In November 1940 there was a meeting between W. E. Fairbairn, E. A. Sykes and Robert Wilkinson Latham at Wilkinson Sword Company.

Fairbairn and Sykes described the type of knife they envisioned and the purpose for which it was intended. As discussion continued, preliminary sketches were drawn up and modified time and time again. As Robert Wilkinson Latham tells it: 'In order to explain exactly their point, the two men rose to their feet and one, it was Fairbairn my grandfather mentioned, grabbed the wood ruler from his desk and the two men danced around the office in mock combat'. W. E. Fairbairn had also brought with him an example of a suitable fighting knife.

Here is an early Shanghai knife made from a bayonet.

(pictures with courtesy of Tom Parker in Canada)

Here is the very Shanghai knife Cpt W. E.  Fairbairn brought  with him to Wilkinson Sword Co.

The majority of knives used by the military are multipurpose tools, but this new composition of Fairbairn-Sykes was a very specialized weapon. It was designed for the purpose of killing.

It is not easy to make new inventions concerning one of the oldest weapon belonging to a man. The new Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knife is best described as a new composition. The blade is double edged and has the shape of a double edged dagger and the handle resemble the grip of the old rapiers. The shape of the grip reminds us about a Coca cola bottle.

Wilkinson Sword Company had a number of blades for bayonets which were intended for the Lee Enfield 1903 bayonet. The blades had become obsolete by the introduction of the 1907 bayonet.

Here is Lee Enfield M1903.

The meeting resulted in the Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knife, as it should be called properly.

Three prototypes were produced.

1) One remained with W. E. Fairbairn until his death.
W. E. Fairbairn is known to have carried this presentation knife in a distinctive shoulder-scabbard. This scabbard, which allows the knife to be held vertically beneath the arm (blade up, hilt down), is steel reinforced for rigidity, and has built-in springs to hold the weapon securely in place. The leather covering is tooled in a leaf pattern. The rig was constructed by Jack Martin, of Berns-Martin fame, and is currently in the possession of a British police official.

2) One was given to E. A. Sykes and it is considred to be lost.

3) The third one remained with Robert Wilkinson Latham. It was later given to his grandson who traded it for a bayonet at his school. Nobody knows where that one is nowadays.