Upcoming WW2 Combatives & Historical Martial Arts Events

Battalion Martial Arts runs specialist WW2 combatives and historical martial arts events throughout the year. Our seminars explore bayonet fighting, SOE close-combat methods, knife fighting, and historical fencing, drawing from original training manuals and sources. Events are open to anyone with no prior experience required.

We are delighted to announce that Battalion Martial Arts has been invited to teach Bayonet at The Cavendish Convivial this year.

In this 90-minute class we will explore the World War II British Bayonet Fencing system as outlined in Bloody Bayonets by R. A. Lidstone. Bayonet fencing was the sportified training method used to allow soldiers to practice a more advanced and nuanced form of bayonet combat than the basic “charge, thrust, withdraw, parry left, parry right” taught in initial training.

The session will cover the fundamentals of the system and progress into more advanced material, including disarming an armed opponent while unarmed. Participants will also have the opportunity to handle and examine original World War I and World War II artefacts.

Event Dates: 4th–5th July 2026
Location: Tankerville Sport Hall Newcastle
Cost: £50 

Booking and full scheduling details will be available through the Cavendish Convivial website

We are delighted to announce that Battalion Martial Arts has been invited to teach WW2 Combatives at FightCamp, the UK’s largest Historical European Martial Arts event.

FightCamp is the UK’s premier annual HEMA gathering, bringing together world-class instructors and practitioners across a wide range of historical fighting systems, from medieval through to modern combatives.

At FightCamp 2026, Battalion Martial Arts will deliver a 90-minute class exploring the close-combat methods taught to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and British Commandos during the Second World War.

This session examines the Fairbairn–Sykes system, developed by W.E. Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes, whose methods shaped Allied close-quarters training throughout the war. The focus is on practical mechanics, historical context, and how these methods were intended to be applied in real operational environments.

Topics covered include:

  • Core striking and locking methods of the Fairbairn–Sykes system

  • Use of the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife

  • Stick fighting principles and pistol disarms

  • Silent close-quarters techniques as taught to SOE personnel

Participants will gain insight into how these techniques were designed to prepare agents and soldiers for life-or-death encounters behind enemy lines.

Event Dates: 23rd–26th July 2026
Location: Newbury Showground, UK
Cost: TBC (via FightCamp)

Booking and full scheduling details will be available through the FightCamp team.

Step into the shadowy world of WWII special operations and learn the close-combat methods taught to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and Commandos.

This intensive day course explores the brutal efficiency of the Fairbairn–Sykes system, developed by W.E. Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes, whose methods shaped Allied close-quarters training throughout the war.

You’ll cover:

  • The core striking, locking, and takedown methods of the Fairbairn–Sykes system
  • The use of the FS fighting knife and its combat applications
  • Stick Fighting against both knives and unarmed opponent’s
  • How to eliminate a sentry quickly and silently 

Learn how these techniques were designed to prepare agents and soldiers for real, life-or-death encounters behind enemy lines.

Open to martial artists, re-enactors, and history enthusiasts alike — no previous experience required.

Date: Saturday August 15th 2026
Time: 10am–5pm
Location: York, UK
Cost: £40

To book your place or ask any questions, please contact us

Explore six hundred years of close-quarters knife combat in a single day. This one-day seminar pairs medieval rondel dagger work with WW2-era knife and combatives, showing how technique, purpose, and mindset changed and what stayed the same.

Morning — Rondel Dagger (Fiore dei Liberi)
• Fundamentals of grips, guards and footwork from the medieval tradition
• Key plays and counters from Fiore dei Liberi’s dagger material
• Practical partner drills for timing, distance and control (armoured/unarmoured context)

Afternoon — WW2 Knife Fighting & Defence
• Fairbairn–Sykes principles and combative applications
• Material drawn from Jonathan Styers and other wartime/early post-war sources
• Practical entries, defences, and finishing actions used by WWII soldiers and operatives

You’ll gain a comparative perspective on how historical context shaped technique, from the knight’s rondel to the commando’s fighting knife.

Who it’s for: martial artists, HEMA practitioners, re-enactors, combatives students, and history enthusiasts. Suitable for all levels; partner work involved.

Date: Autumn 2026 (exact date TBA)
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: York, UK
Cost: £40
Safety: Training will use replica/training knives — no live blades.

To book your place or ask any questions, please contact us

For ongoing training opportunities, see our Clubs Page

To arrange a private WW2 or historical combatives lesson, visit our 1-to-1 Tuition page or contact us for custom event bookings.