Street Kicking from Old style French Savate

And it’s influence on WW2 Combatives

In France the employment of the feet for kicking was as important

to the Art of French Savate as the use of the fists were to English
Boxing. In Paris and other French Provinces practitioners of
Combative activities were well known for their use of street
kicking. Tradition states that a style of street fighting,
predominantly employing the feet, which came to be known as Savate
was originally invented by gangsters and French convicts who,
during the 19th century needed to find a method to defend
themselves. The early French Navy developed a gymnastic past time
of fencing with the feet often called ‘’Chausson,’’ (pronounced
Shoh-sohn) a term that referred to the footwear worn by the sailors
of the time. This system of foot fighting existed around the old
southern dock yards of France and predominately took place on
sailing ships. This was also referred to as “jeu Marseilles” (the
Marseilles game) a look into this method shows that the kicks
employed were much higher than those used in Savate and the hands
were commonly used for balance and support this included grabbing
hold of anything convenient for support whilst kicking. Such a
method was applicable to the current environment of a slippery
dockside or uneven boat deck.

In Paris a more martial method of street kicking was often

practiced in the poorer quarters of Paris and was often associated
with the criminal underworld. Around (circa) 1820 this started to
attract members of aristocracy, particularly by gentlemen dressed
in their formal attire who sought entertainment amongst the cities
vaudevilles and music halls. Disputes between such gentlemen were
often settled with this method of street kicking which also made
use of the palms or paume for slapping and similar opened handed
strikes among other methods. The most famous instructor during
this time was Michel Assaux (1794-1857) also known as Michel
Pissaux. Born in Paris, Michel was responsible for systemizing
such methods of foot fighting and for naming it the ‘’Art of
Savate’’ (Pronounced sav-aht) meaning ‘’Old shoe’’ this was the
weapon of choice for the savatuer, which he taught alongside Cane
fencing.

Michel opened the first official “Salle” or training gym in 1825.

Prior to this early Savate as it was practiced in old Paris was
regarded by many, as a style of street fighting. It often attracted
mainly those of dubious character, and it became synonymous with
early street brawls that did not stop at low-line kicking and
stomping with hard soled shoes but also included gouging,
grappling, head butting and slapping.

Eventually the art evolved into a style of fighting that

incorporated hands and feet as well as various other tactics and
through dilution of the more brutal street methods, went on to
become the sport of ‘’La Boxe Francaise.’’ This included the
emergence of wrestling and in particular the development of French
Wrestling, referred to as Parisian Lutte, as well as influence
from Western boxing and the inclusion of kicks to the high-line.
What I am interested in here is purely Savate as a means of personal
combat. In 80 years since its development from a ruthless method
of street fighting, Savate had evolved into an array of martial
disciplines, which could be practiced for self–protection as well
as for sport and recreation. From the beginning of the 20 th Century
the more Combative side of Savate started to generate a lot of
interest in Western Europe, particularly for the common public who
were finding it necessary to develop a system of self-defence for
the non-athletic civilian. Around this time many books and self-
defence related courses were starting to emerge. Elements of Savate
were also being introduced into a number of unarmed combat courses
in the United States. For example, from the 1920 right up to WWII
such methods were actively taught within the syllabus provided for
the US Marine Corps, the FBI and the Department of Justice. Such
methods were also studied and taught by leading Close Combat
pioneer A.J. Drexel Biddle as part of the unarmed combat training
that he gave to Marines. In addition to this in France, many of
the French resistance fighters were thoroughly trained in Savate.
After WWII the interest in Savate appeared to wane, this was
perhaps since many of its pioneers may have been lost to the war
along with the disinterest from society, with violence in general
at a time of post-war. Because of this Savate started to become
part of an underground sub culture, influenced by wartime methods
of unarmed combat. Savate started to lack organization and
promotion and only really persisted through the practice of the
dedicated minority. Parisians believed that for Savate and its
disciplines to become more socially accepted it was necessary for
its development as a sport. My interest in Savate lies in the
early street fighting methods developed to counter such brutal
street gangs as the French Apache, so this is where we leave it.

The French Apache:

Towards the latter part of the 19th century circa; 1874, Paris was
quite literally swarming with ruffians and vagabonds. The number
of such individuals gathered into the thousands, with the majority
coming from juvenile delinquents. Together they were evolving
into a new generation of street gang which became known as the
‘’Apache’’ (pronounced ‘’Ah-Pahash’’) this was a Parisian term
used to describe these French street hoodlums, whose acts of
violence were considered by all the day, to be equally as ferocious
as the Apache Indians were in battle, hence the name. The typical
young Apache member came from the lower-class vagabonds with
connections to the French underworld. The Apaches developed their
own style of street combat that was as unscrupulous and brutal as
it was effective. The French Apache employed the use of hand
strikes and foot kicks, along with head butts, throws and methods
of grappling. They also used a vast array of weapons, both by
design and improvised, including knives, razors and knuckle
dusters, as well as synthetic allies in the form of clothing such
as; hats, scarves, bodkins and jackets among other items. The hard
skills of the Apache were based upon tactics, namely the use of
deception and dirty trickery.

Another method is where the Apache would employ the use of the
victim’s jacket by pulling it down over the shoulders to bind
the victim’s arms, following up with multiple hand strikes to
the now un-protected face. Another old Apache trick was called
‘’hooding’’ this is where a victim would be temporarily blinded
and disoriented by having a jacket thrown over their face, from
where the advantage would be maintained and with follow up hand
strikes. During this period of ‘’hooliganism’’ in Paris, various
masters of Savate started to develop specific methods to counter
the threat. The main solution to the problem of the Apache was
finally resolved after the start of WWI when most of its gang
members under the age of 25 were sent to the front line to fight;
 where upon almost a complete generation of French thugs were
killed fighting the Germans. The Apache were well known for their
brutal and unscrupulous methods. In closing the depictions below
offer relevance to what we have been looking at within the modules
of today’s workshop, namely the influence from WW2 Combatives to
modern day methods, some of the ways Savate’s method of boot
fighting was employed by the British and US Forces and how we
might adapt the same skills for today’s focus on civilian Self-
Protection.

If we take a look at some of the Hand-to-hand Combat programs that were

taught during this period, particularly in by the US Marines, the US
Rangers, Marine Raiders and the US Navy, we can clearly see a strong
influence from Fairbairn and Sykes in addition to Western boxing and
wrestling, rough and tumble, dirty tactics and boot fighting or street
kicking. The influence from the latter comes from French Savate, not the
modern sport that it was to become, but more the original street fighting
art from which it began. This is the focus of our second module today. For
now let me give you a few depictions as to the efficiency of the Edge of
Boot kick as Fairbairn taught it.

Although this attack was designed for the heavy combat boot, you can
still obtain a good result from slightly less s sturdy footwear. Below
is an X-ray image showing a normal healthy knee joint in comparison to a
dislocated knee joint. When the knee joint is taken out there is no
stand up fight anymore or any chase. Outside taking your enemy out,
destroying his leg is the only way to put him down and keep him down.

(Pictures courtesy of Geoff ‘Tank’ Todd’s article on the Combat Boot.)

W.E. Fairbairn’s inclusion of the sturdy combat boot as a weapon is depicted
in his war time manual ‘’All in Fighting!’’ published in the US as ‘’Get
Tough!’’ Here it depicts its use via the Edge of Boot Kick, also referred to
as a low side kick or the stab kick. This basically employs the outside edge
and heel of the boot, applied with a sturdy and fixed ankle using more the
whole bottom sole of the boot, as oppose to angling the bladed edge and
compromising the ankle. Also the inside Edge of the Boot, employed as a sharp
kick to the shin bone. More often this kick was taught from a counter
grapple perspective, where it was brought to bear straight to the shin just
below the knee and from here it was used to viciously scrape down and into
the shin bone, finishing with a heel stomp to the foot. Both kicks can of
course be found within the curriculum of numerous martial systems throughout
time, but kicking with the shoe/boot in this way was very specific to Old
Savate’s Street Kicking and Boot Fighting methods. In addition to the edge of
the boot, Fairbairn would also employ the point or toe punt of the boot or
shoe to the temple or ribs of a fallen enemy, the latter would often be used
in conjunction with a sharp yank on the arm. One final method relating to
Fairbain’s use of the boot as a weapon, is again, depicted as a finishing
technique to a fallen enemy. Understand that I include this simply for the
purpose and interest of study. As we know the rules of engagement during WW2
were very clear and obvious, for both the Commandos, home guard and for all
those involved in Special Operations, that being to eliminate the threat
quick smart! So please view it in the context for which it was developed.
The Edge of the Boot Kick preceding the Chin-Jab: The inside of Boot Kick
down the shin bone finishing with a stomp to the foot: Finally the Bronco
Kick employed as a finishing tool to the head and chest box of a fallen
enemy.

Many Unarmed Combat systems of WW2 employed influence from Street Savate;
namely point and edge of the boot kicks to low-line targets and as
finishing tools to a fallen subject as depicted here from Col. Applegate’s
classic text KOGK.

As a modern influence, here we can see use of the Edge of the Boot kick
employed from both, a counter knife and a counter grapple perspective. In
addition to the spike or point of boot kick to the groin and limb stomp
employed as a finisher.

Employ further pictures from a variety of WW2 Combatives texts

Peace Lee M.