WW2 US / Allied Commando Hand-to-Hand Fighting handbook "Get Tough" - Commando Knife - by Major W.E. Fairbairn-Sykes - MI6 - OSS - First Edition! - 1942

Very rare first edition (with the rank 'Captain' on the cover instead of Major, which is the only difference from later editions) of the book 'Get Tough', on hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the British Commandos by Captain W.E. Fairbairn. An extremely nice OSS-MI6 related handbook. It was printed in 1942. The book is certainly in issued condition; see the attached photos for a good impression — the last 2-3 pages have a bottom part missing, but no pages are missing. Overall, a great book.

Fairbairn was a British Royal Marine officer. He developed hand-to-hand combat methods for the allied special forces during World War II. He created innovative pistol shooting and fighting techniques, as well as the development of the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife.

During WW2, he was recruited by the British Secret Service as an Army officer. Together with fellow close-combat instructor Sykes, Fairbairn was commissioned on the General List in 1941. He trained British, American, and Canadian Commando and No. 2 Dutch Troop 10th Inter-Allied Commando forces, along with Ranger candidates in close-combat, pistol-shooting, and knife-fighting techniques.