This will be the final inclusion in the Applegate connection series.

Since the first inclusion of the Applegate connection I have received many inquiries regarding my system and Col Applegate’s close combat systems.

I have had many visitors from around the world very interested in the combined skills of Col Applegate and myself and equally interested in the history lineage and collection of historical material I possess.

I could write many volumes from my notes taken from Col Applegate and the volumes of information he gave me not to mention the correspondence file.

In answer to these two questions that just about every inquirer has asked in relation to Applegate close combat systems.

1) Did Col Applegate qualify instructors in Hand-to-Hand Combat post WWII and who are they?

Yes I was the only post WWII exponent to be qualified and certified as an instructor in the Applegate Kill or get Killed systems of Close Combat.

2) You read about people that promote and instruct the Applegate systems, how can this be if he never qualified them.

Yes I have read articles that if I didn’t know better and hadn’t been privy to discussions re the individuals in question prior to the Col’s passing I too would have been confused to say the least.

The reality is that if they didn’t train from him and have proof of the facts, they are not trained Applegate exponents or instructors.

The Col was a most cordial person but he did not treat qualifications lightly, he was respected for this necessary hard line. I remember him advising me I should stop not taking kindly to such fools and simply not give them the time of day. He said the Internet was ripe with phoneys. This doesn’t mean those that didn’t qualify under Col Applegate aren’t any good, it just means they are not qualified Applegate combatants and I guess it says something about their character if they have to imply they are some thing they aren’t.  Some of these people never even met the Legend in person and their only association was by means of a reply to their correspondence.

Others only met the Col at trade shows or stopped in for a visit, certainly never trained from him. He told me he would never instruct Special Operation Close Combat skills to anyone if they were not qualified military close combat instructors beforehand.

Now to points of interest from my notes taken while with the late Col Applegate and from the material and correspondence he gave and sent me.

From E. A. Sykes to Col Applegate 1st March 1943 begins My Dear Applegate; Blue prints are now being omitted and we are sending you one 22 pistol silenced with night sights. One .45 colt auto pistol silence with night sights. One Steen silenced with night sights. Needless to say your comments will be awaited with very much interest.

From E. A. Sykes 22nd September 1943. Kill or Get Killed came to hand a few days ago. Thank you most sincerely. The book is clear practical and above all what is wanted. It is the first book to deal with the subject on sensible lines and without doubt will displace what I can only describe as peacetime methods. I take the opportunity to offer my congratulations on your well-deserved promotion and feel sure it won’t stop at that.

March 3rd 1968 published in the Sunday Oregonian an article the Col sent me a copy of titled Oregon Colonel Foremost Authority On Control Of Riots.

In the article the Col displays a deadly arsenal consisting of a shotgun made from pieces of pipe, a booby trap, a bomb, and a pipe gun that he constructed from materials that cost $10.60 from a hardware store.

From the Chairman of the Outstanding American Hand gunner Awards Nov 11th 1980 for immediate release the 1981 nominees are.

Col Rex Applegate, though never sought publicity he is in every way the peer of Maj Fairbairn. He wrote the combat texts Kill or Get Killed, Scouting and Patrolling and was responsible for commando training of US Troops during WW2.He is a world authority on terrorist tactics, crowd control and guerrilla activities. His work in troop and police handgun training as well as research in the field has undoubtedly saved the lives of many military and police personnel.

From Col Applegate to Tank Todd Nov 4th 1987 a copy of the letter re the identity of the statue I named original combat. The Labours of Hercules by bronze sculptor Vincenzo de Rossi 1525 –1587 located at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Also enclosed a Fairbairn instructor programme never made public on armed and unarmed combat and crowd control not included in any manuals.

1990 I thanked the Col accepting me as an understudy and he replied the reason I am doing this for you is because you remind me of myself when I was young in Oregon tangling with loggers in the odd bar fight. He said he believed it was this rugged background, his physical power and statue as well as his ability to think outside the circle that led to his being selected for specialist positions.

He said to me you are powerful and have gone to all lengths and corners of the world to get the training and qualify.

He said, “When I first reviewed the systems video I had you produce for me I was surprised to say the least with the extent of your knowledge. It was this that made up my mind to show you specialist skills, this and your dogged commitment.”

The Col did not have the time or desire to instruct close combat group training at that stage in his life. He said if it wasn’t for all my previous training and more importantly grasp of military close combat he might never have shown some things to anyone.

In the limited time I physically spent with the Col over the decade from when we first met there was certainly no time for basic training, only specialised.

He would go right to the heart of any specialist subject and just simply say this is how you take them out under these conditions and then ask have you got any questions or he would provide me with pages of notes or course or subject programmes and after I had worked through it ask me if I had any questions.

And this is how it was, total access and assistance. It was often not the skill end result that was given the most attention but all the how to’s and what ifs, the important considerations in military close combat.

I remember while at the Col’s residence working on a skill with Howard or as the Col. referred to him “Crocodile Dundee” my assistant, the Col produced a knife and the first thing I knew about it, was being in a very terminal position. Col Applegate then said with a smile “That’s how you do that, quick and quiet.” This was his style, quiet but straight to the point. He would show me a weapon or piece of equipment and ask me what I thought of its operating or design features. I would always think very carefully before answering and eveluate every aspect of the device or what it was to be used for before coming up with my answer. These devices and weapons ranged from firearms to riot control equipment and batons and knives to restraint devices and what the Col referred to as exotic weapons.

I recorded every detail he showed me and have used many of the combat proven principles he versed me in with skills and programs design and still do to this day, including the design of knifes, batons and equipment.

I am only pleased that I had completed basic advanced and instructor military close combat qualifications prior to meeting Col Applegate and in turn was ready and able to be provided with the most elite and specialist of close combat training straight off. 

In 1989 Col Applegate told me of his first meeting with Fairbairn. He was in the UK and partaking in a demo for the Brass up on a raised platform when Fairbairn requested Col Applegate attack him. Col Applegate described Fairbairn as a crusty old Brit and protested he was afraid he might kill him if he attacked him outright.

He was instructed to attack and so he lunged fully committed at the wiry Fairbairn who quickly evaded his hulk of an attacker and helped him unceremoniously off the platform and onto the laps of the seated brass below.

Col Applegate told me that he never fell victim to Fairbairn ever again. He told me of how Fairbairn’s role in the Brit Forces was to learn all he could of enemy or potential enemy fighting arts by studying them to evaluate their effectiveness for combating these systems purposes.

The Col said Fairbairn become very high profile with the publishing of several books for the civilian market very early on and received both criticism and praise for his titles. He said Sykes had a far lower profile, a quiet character that was an unsung hero in many respects, a true close combat expert especially in combat shooting. The Col went over the early programs with me pointing out the many subjects and skills that would never be found in the civilian publications and categorising the skills by who the were for and what role, he’d say this is what we’d do for the Commandos in this role or this was the best way for the assassin to get the job done and so on. When he was going over close protection practises with me he told me that when he was working close protection for President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, how during some of their WWII meetings their discussions would at times become quite heated.

He once asked Wild Bill Donovan the head of the OSS what he should do if they ever went for each other and was told to stand back and watch. He said fortunately it never came to that. He told me that although Fairbairn, Sykes and himself were three very different individuals they all were committed to the same cause, just like our Close Combat Instructors Association today.

From Col Applegate Nov 15th 1989 have been busy this past year. Have a third edition of my riot control book in the works and also have just produced videotape and a new knife. Brochures attached as well as early Kill or Get Killed material.

24/4/90 From Col Applegate; My Instructions and directions re training visit as well as a full copy of Col Apple gates Resume.

From Col Applegate to Tank Todd dated 7/9/90; I am glad you enjoyed your US visit. We liked having you. I am enclosing copies of pics of Fairbairn in uniform 1930 Shanghai Municipal Police. Fairbairn LT Col W. E. Fairbairn with glasses 1940.1943 Fairbairn in his fifties pictured with myself.

0ct 4 1990 From Col Applegate; Interested in a copy of your book and copies of the photos we took here. Will look forward to your book. Will take you up on your kind offer to visit your country etc.

9/2/91 From Col Applegate to Tank Todd; tried to get a copy of Defendu for you from a number of sources with out success to date, as I do not have it in my own library. Will see some collectors later this month.

December 1991 he wrote that he had noted my Special Forces Combatives Instructor qualification course success in South East Asia and was following my military instructors career closely.

April 11th 1992; Congratulations on the new member of your family. Jessica is also the name of my oldest Grand daughter. My best and that of Mrs Applegate to your wife and new daughter.

On April 1992 he included the following comments in his monthly correspondence. There are too many flowing robe boys out there teaching under the guise of oriental arts, methods that are of little practical value in the street or on the battlefield. Others are in it for a fast buck. This has long been a problem, one I covered generally in my book. I note that your ethics are quite strict and I think that tight membership is the only way to go.

Oct 18th 1992; Attached a number of articles for your purpose, will get to your other questions later.

8/4/93; I am sending you my scouting and patrolling book currently used by US Army Snipers Schools and in the Special Forces.

Note I will be attending the Association convention next month.

6/21/93; Glad to receive the latest Association newsletter. I enclose my latest book.

December 12 1994; From Col Applegate to Tank Todd The CIA and pentagon recently declassified these tapes from top secret.

The first tape was assembled from classified documents in 1993 a history of the OSS.

John Ford made the second training film and several others the famous movie director. They were made at Camp David and President Roosevelt referred to the camp as Shangri-La.

Jan 26th 1994; Enclosed Pat O’Neill and Col Biddle information and a photo of Sykes as well as a current and WWII photo of myself for you.

I received the handsome Association plaque from Lawrence Jordan it was much appreciated and has a place of honour in my trophy room.

July 26th 1994; Have just returned from a conference on tear-gas and the new pepper spray. Your new Military Chief Instructor appointment is a well-deserved one and I’m glad that this has come to pass.

October 27th 1994 from Col Applegate to Tank Todd; Have been very busy this Fall attending the Soldier of Fortune Convention, Board of Directors meeting of the NRA and the Police Chief Convention.

I was pleased to see the information you enclosed and enjoyed the October issue of your magazine. With respect to your knife design it looks like a good one I presume that the flat grind on the one side that you list as 10cm,which we call a false edge in this country. I suggest you cross notch the area where your thumb rests on the knife. I enclose an article on instinctive shooting.  The Colonel was presented with a collectors quality model of my knife etched with his code of arms made by Johnny Foxton a military knife maker.  The Col described it as a great knife and excellent piece of work, which he featured in his collection.

In Colonel Appegate’s final years he spent more and more time promoting instinctive shooting and training and qualifying people in this field. It was an ambition of his to see it reintroduced to the military and police where their lives may very well depend upon it. From a speech he gave Jan 17th 1995 – I hope my SOF article on instinctive shooting March 1995 opens up the controversial subject of point shooting. I anticipated both objective criticism and some out rage from those whose ox has been gored. With stats and experience showing current police operational hit ratio of 15 to 18% in fire fights and with 50%of police gun fights taking place at close range under no sight, low light and other adverse conditions, it stands to reason that more training time even up to 50% should be devoted to this aspect He took much pride when I assisted with this work having it taught to military special operations.

There have been many groups down under that have benefited from Col Applegate indirectly through my passing on his methods and being privy to new equipment very early on.

1/5/95 OSS and Hand Gun info. Please find enclosed the subject information. This should have been mailed along with the videotape, which was sent earlier this week.

7/25/95 has been tremendously busy the past few months. I am glad you received the video on shooting and I believe this is going to take off again in the US after a fifty-year cycle of Bullseye training.

4/27/95 I have been extremely busy with handgun shooting, bombing and terrorist matters and haven’t had much time for the close combat area. I have noted your request for additional footage and will try to provide it. As a member of the board of directors of the NRA I am now working on getting point shooting established as part of the training curriculum.

11/20/95 With respect to the association name I favour the International Association of Close Combat Instructors.

July 5th 1996 Information in regards to the SOF convention. My congratulations on your Hall of Fame Induction. I note your quite active in training the military and this is certainly a very worthwhile endeavour.

Nov14th 1996 I am sending you some additional data on point shooting.

Info re the association participation in next years SOF convention. The past year there were difficulties regarding seminar venues, hopefully the situation will be remedied for 1997. Use my name for a recommendation, etc.

October 3rd to 5th 1997 I assisted Col Applegate at the Soldier of Fortune Convention in his booth. He also set up our participation as the Close Combat Instructors at the SOF convention and the filming of Extreme CQB. After the Association members had shot the video at the SOF convention I attended the Paladin Press cocktail part with Col Applegate and he spoke of how the Association members were the world’s best and how Larry Jordan and I led the way from the front. He said how impressed he was with the video content and said all military close combat instructors should have a copy as soon as it was released. He followed the progress of the making of Extreme CQB with much interest and was very proud of the part he played in organising and endorsing Extreme CQB and the Association. He was very proud of the membership being all military qualified and many being leaders in their respective countries and conveyed this in his speech at the Association dinner Las Vegas 1997.Where he said you wouldn’t find a more deadly group of the dirty tricks brigade, the best of the best.

Just prior to his passing he contacted me re making Kill or Get Killed into a video, however he passed away prior to being able to begin this project.

While at SOF he asked about Charlie Nelson and if I was still training with him and was pleased to find out I was and that he was still instructing. I told him I was leaving Las Vegas to train with him in New York and video him for the Extreme CQB video.

June and July 1998 were my last contacts with the Col prior to his passing and we spoke of my baton design, the Kill or Get Killed video and who would be suitable for the roles and how the Association was in good shape and how no other such organization existed with only military qualified members making up the rank and file.

We spoke of dog training and our next get together, which unfortunately never happened.

After over a decade of association training from and assisting Col Applegate not only at the Soldier of Fortune Convention and with projects but also advising on individuals involved with close combat and partaking in research, I received from him the only post WWII close combat instructor certificate to be issued.

I was privileged to be trained and qualified by the best.  Col Applegate was a true warrior Master Chief and a gentleman. He showed attention to every detail and never treated any close combat subject or situation lightly and this is why there are not ranks of instructors qualified in close combat by him.

I can remember him saying to me that he considered the expense I went to travelling the world training and qualifying and visiting him as well as travelling to assist him testament to my commitment and how he stated that so called close combat people in his own country never took the time to request training from him.

It was a very sad day for me when I was contacted with the news of Col Applegate’s passing as I never looked on him as being elderly or sick, I just never considered he would die as he was so focused and busy and the only health complaint he ever had was a stiff knee joint.

What made it hit home even more was to receive my final package of close combat instruction some days after he passed away post dated just days before he passed away and posted while he was still on the road.

I have a safe full of material from Col Applegate and am still today reviewing it. Some teachings from him were never recorded or filmed like the WWII knife fighting courses and some Close Combat modules.

I have many personal memories and gifts of Col Applegate and much material and advice he bestowed upon me that I will treasure for life, things that are simply not public. Mrs Applegate after Col Applegate’s passing gave to me a most treasured item, one of the Col’s Bolo ties that means so much to me and takes pride of place with my collection. 

He was a most up to date professional way ahead of his time right up to his passing.

The Col, apart from all the professional assistance he gave me was a loyal close friend that was always interested in my family’s welfare and mine. He opened many doors for me and introduced me to many very important people in the close combat world and above all treated me like family. He would speak of his family to me, where his grand daughter was at school, how his son was in the same part of the world that Larry Jordan was serving at that time and how he would like them to meet up etc. He liked to convey his key phrases to me like KISS keep it simple stupid and if it ain't broke don’t fix it.

I had much pleasure in introducing him to fellow association members and being privy to his work and personal thoughts on close combat and close combatants.

To be a first generation qualified instructor and the only individual to possess this rank and qualification is one of my greatest achievements and makes history and the Col’s legacy live on legitimately.

Finally the Applegate Systems of Close Combat or as he titled it Kill or Get Killed Close Combat Systems and as it reads on my Instructor Certification issued October 15 1996 that I am competent and qualified to instruct in all of the armed and unarmed techniques is something very special to me like the teachings the Col provided me and to be presented with a certificate bearing his official code of arms and signature is something that makes one proud and stand alone.

While assisting the Col in his booth at Soldier of Fortune we spoke of all the Fairbairn so called experts and how they had never even been military trained or qualified and he said I wonder how many will come out of the wood work. What brought it up were so many people interrupting him as he spoke with me for a photo with him.

This is some of the entries from the Resume of the Late Col Rex Applegate.

• Consultant to US Govt.
• Expertise Riot Control
• Urban Guerrilla Warfare
• Body Guarding
• Police Raids
• Military Armed and Unarmed Combat
• Firearms.
• Professional Background
• Retired US Army
• Infantry
• Military Police
• Intelligence
• Counter Intelligence
• Office Of Strategic Services (OSS)
• Professional Affiliations.
• Vets Of Foreign Wars
• American Legion
• National Rifle Association
• Vets of the OSS
• Sons of the American Revolution
• Sigma Chi Fraternity
• Army Navy Club Washington DC
• Association of Former Intelligence Officers
• Author
• Consultant
• Lecturer to The FBI Academy
• New York Police Dep.
• Military Police etc.
• Specialist speaker Fort Bragg
• Fort Meade
• Canadian Armed Forces
• Department of Defence
• International Police Academy etc.
• Weapons collector
• Designer and producer of the World Famous Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife.

This is the final inclusion of the Applegate connection and for any further details I can be contacted directly at [email protected]

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Interested in Close Combat Training? Todd Group Depots are located throughout New Zealand and at various overseas locations.

For more information on Todd System of Close Combat see the following books, dvds and cds:

• Close Combat Books
  The Do's and Don'ts of Close Combat – Tactical C&R – Control and Restraint – No Nonsense Self Defence – Military Close Combat Systems Phase One – Combative Masters Of The 20th Century
• Close Combat DVDs
  Self Defence of the Elite – 80 Years of Combative Excellence – Primary Option Control & Restraint – Military Unarmed Combat – Phase 1
• Close Combat CDs
  Technique To Command – Combative Code of Conduct