Combat 18 emerged from the BNP stewarding group in 1991 and became the dominant force in the far right from 1994 until 1998, when an internal feud ripped the group apart. The ‘18’ in the name represents the first and eight letter of the alphabet, A and H – Adolf Hitler. As the name suggests, the group was avowedly nazi and militant.

A street force soon transformed itself into a group that advocated violence and terrorism. At its peak it had about 500 people in its orbit, though just a few dozen were properly in its core. C18 was behind several serious attacks and some members were even involved in terrorism. The group declined in the UK after its initial leader Charlie Sargent murdered a close supporter of his key rival and new, more militant leader, Will Browning.

However, Combat 18 embodied militant fascism and likeminded groups sprung up across Europe. C18 units in Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy and Serbia have all been involved in terrorism over the years. C18 hardly exists in the UK anymore. There are a few legacy members, those who still identify with the group, but it was not active in 2023. There were a couple of attempts to hold gigs, though not under their own name, but each came to nothing. Will Browning (pictured) remains its leader, though he now spends most of his time living with his partner in the Netherlands.