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Gerard Denis St John Thomson was born on 11th of July in Pietermaritzburg.
His schooling took place in Cape Town, Windhoek and finally Grey College in Bloemfontein where he matriculated. At school Denis participated in rugby, cricket and hockey. He excelled as a drummer in the school band and the Caledonian Pipe Band. In 1961 he gained a silver medal at the Highland Pipe Band Gathering in Johannesburg.
In 1962 he completed his military training at the 10th Field Regiment in Potchefstroom and was adjudged the best No. 3 Gunner on Special manouevres at Tempe Army Base.
1963 - Joined Karate-Do
1965 - Underwent Special Instructor training under 5th degree black belt Hiroshi Shirai and 7th degree black belt Taiji Kase (both Japan Karate Association)
1965 - Awarded 1st Degree black belt in Shotokan Karate
1965 - Started Karate-Do in all branches of the Defence Force in the Western Province: Army, Navy And Airforce
1966 - Qualified as a therapeutic masseur
1967 - Awarded 2nd degree black belt in Goju Ryu Karate
1969 - Attended Special Instructor training in Tokyo, Japan under Shihan Morio Higaonna (7th Dan Goju Ryu Karate)
1969 - Underwent special training in Okinawan Weapons: Nunchaku, Bo and Sai
1969 - Opened branch of Karate-Do in Claremont
1970 - Promoted to chief instructor of Karate-Do
1972 - Particpated in demonstration of weapons to Portuguese military police (Lisbon)
1972 - Underwent Intensive Instructor Training course under Shihan Morio Higaonna (7th Dan Goju Ryu Karate) and was awarded 4th degree black belt
1973 - Chosen as coach, referee and selector for Western Province All Styles
1974 - Trained All Styles Air Force Team
1974 - Attended Advanced Instuctor course in Tokyo, Japan and Naha, Okinawa, including weapons training.
1974 - Attended World Goju Ryu Congress in Okinawa
1976 - Awarded 5th degree black belt in Karate-Do
1976 - Trained British instructors in Liverpool and held special training for All Styles
1976 - Trained Israeli instructors in Petach Tiqva
1977 - Trained officers and PT Instructors - six week course in close combat at Youngsfield, including nunchaku and knife training.
1977 - Special training course for trainees at Youngsfield and Ysterplaat, Cape Town, one of the few civilian instructors to do so
1977 - Trained Karate-Do Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) Instructors and was chief referee at Rhodesian Championships
1977 - Attended and trained at Special SWAT exercises at Stilbaai
1978 - Attended and trained at Special SWAT exercises at Stilbaai
1979 - Arranged the first ever Traditional Okinawan Weapons Festival (SA)
1979 - Participated in Special VIP Body Guard course
1979 - Trained Special VIP Body Guard and Police group for the Boputhatswana government
1979 - Trained various security companies in close combat
1980 - Graded 6th Dan and attained Shihan ranking
1980 - Trained Special VIP Body Guard and Police group for the Kwa Zulu government
1981 - Awarded Springbok colours. Particiapted in International Gashuku in Israel, Switzerland and Britain
1981 - Conducted all styles training course in Liverpool
1982 - Promoted to Head of Karate-Do South Africa
1983 - Conducted International Gashuku in Israel
1983 - Participated and taught at the International Gashuku in Switzerland
1983 - Conducted special course for Karate-Do British instructors and students. Also conducted courses for all styles in Liverpool
1984 - Qualified as Shiatsu practioner
1985 - Invited to Israel to conduct International Gashuku
1985 - Researched Tai Chi and Chinese weaponry in Taiwan and Hong Kong
1985 - Awarded the title of Renshi for reseach into traditional Okinawan weapons.
1986 - Promoted to Chief Instructor of Karate-Do International
1986 - Invited to Israel to conduct Karate-Do Israeli Gashuku
Conducted first ever All Styles weapons seminar in Israel
Conducted courses in Shiatsu for students and instructors of Karate-Do Israel
1986 - Conducted All Styles weapons seminar in Zurich, Switzerland
Conducted special training for students and instructors of Karate-Do in Switzerland
1988 - Conducted special training in Israel and Switzerland
1989 - Conducted International Gashuku in Switzerland and special courses in Israel
1990 - Established Kushido Karate-Do in Camberley, United Kingdom
1991 - Conducted training in Melbourne, Australia
Participated in Tai Chi course in Hawaii under Chris Luth
1999 - Assisted at International Gashuku at Cave Hill Creek, Australia (10th anniversary of Kushido Australia)
2001 - Assisted at International Gashuku in Stanssted, Switzerland (15th anniversary of Kushido Switzerland)
2003 - Hosted 40th Anniversary International Gashuku in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where 8 countries were represented
2004 Inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2005 Organized the first International Weapons Gashuku in Cape Town
2006 Attended the 20th Anniversary International Gashuku of Switzerland, taking Senior Kata training
2008 Hosted the Kushido Karate Do 45th anniversary Gashuku
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