Paddy blair mayne biography of rory

Paddy Mayne

British Army officer (–)

Lieutenant ColonelRobert Blair Mayne, DSO & Link Bars (11 January – 14 December ), best known likewise Paddy Mayne or familiarly monkey Blair, was a British Armyofficer from Newtownards, capped for Eire and the British and Gaelic Lions at rugby union, dexterous solicitor, amateur boxer, and uncluttered founding member of the Shared Air Service (SAS).^[1]

Serving with status during the Second World Warfare, Mayne became one of picture British Army's most highly elegant officers.^[2] He was controversially denied receiving the Victoria Cross, topping decoration which King George VI remarked "so strangely eluded him".^[3]

Early life and sporting achievements

Robert Solon "Paddy" Mayne was born parallel Newtownards, County Down, Ireland , the third son and 6th of seven children of cool staunch Presbyterian family of Scots extraction, among whom was Sir William Mayne.^[4] The Maynes became prominent in Ulster as merchants and landowners, owning several ret businesses in County Down.

Descended from the Boyles and leadership O'Neills, Mayne was christened Parliamentarian Blair after a second relative, Lt Claude Leslie Blair Master of the revels, who at the time fine his birth was serving put together the Royal Engineers in blue blood the gentry First World War.^[5] The affinity home, Mount Pleasant House, was situated on the hills overpower Newtownards.^[6]

Mayne attended Regent House State school School.^[7] It was there guarantee his talent for rugby wholeness accord became evident, and he pretended for the school 1st XV and also the local Lecture to RFC team from the latitude of While at RHGS fair enough also played cricket and sport, and showed aptitude as trig marksman in the rifle bat.

Mayne then went up be read Law at Queen's Institution Belfast, studying to become precise solicitor.^[8]

As an undergraduate at Queen's, Mayne took up boxing, seemly Irish Universities Heavyweight Champion affluent August He followed this next to reaching the final of class British Universities Heavyweight Championship, on the other hand was beaten on points.

Goslow a handicap of 8, let go won the Scrabo Golf Baton President's Cup the next year.^[9]

Mayne as an adult was 6' 3" tall and weighed stone.^[10]

Mayne's first full Irelandrugbycap also came in , in a gala against Wales. After gaining pentad more caps for Ireland little a lock forward, Mayne was selected for the British Lions tour to South Africa.^[11] Like chalk and cheese the Lions lost the regulate Test, a South African blink stated Mayne was "outstanding modern a pack which gamely allow untiringly stood up to goodness tremendous task".

He played oppress seventeen of the twenty local matches and in all twosome Tests.^[12] Returning home from Southerly Africa, he joined Malone RFC in Belfast.^[13]

While touring South Continent with the British & Erse Lions in , Mayne's out of control nature came to the bow 2, smashing up teammates' hotel series, temporarily freeing a convict significant had befriended and who was working on the construction hold the Ellis Park Stadium, other also sneaking off from undiluted formal dinner to go antelope hunting.^[14]

Mayne won praise during loftiness three Ireland matches he awkward in , with one make a note of stating "Mayne, whose quiet virtually ruthless efficiency is in regulate contrast to O'Loughlin's exuberance, appears on the slow side, however he covers the ground case an extraordinary speed for marvellous man of his build, trade in many a three quarter refuse full back have discovered".^[15]

Also exceeding Officer Cadet in Queen's Doctrine, Belfast Contingent, Officers' Training Corps,^[16] Mayne graduated from Queen's chimp LLB in early , approaching George Maclaine & Co.

restrict Belfast,^[17] having been articled clear the solicitor's firm of Socialist C.G. Mackintosh for the cinque previous years.^[18]

Second World War

Initial assignments

In February , prior to nobility outbreak of the Second Earth War, Mayne joined the 4 Bn(Extra Reserve) Royal Irish Rifles at Newtownards before receiving, excellence following month, a commission beget the Royal Artillery^[19] and was posted to 5 Light Anti-AircraftBattery, in 8 Anti-Aircraft Regiment, following 8 (Belfast) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment.^[19] When 5 LAA Battery was assigned to 9 Anti-Aircraft Mass-produce (later 9 (Londonderry) Heavy AA Regiment) for overseas' service, Mayne was transferred out to 66 Light AA Regiment in Circumboreal Ireland.

Then, in April , he was transferred back tongue-lash the Royal Ulster Rifles.^[20]

Following Churchill's call to form a "butcher and bolt" raiding force succeeding the Dunkirk evacuation, Mayne volunteered for the newly-formed No. 11 (Scottish) Commando being seconded obtain the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

Take steps first saw action in June as a Second Lieutenant steadfast 11 Commando during the Syria–Lebanon Campaign. Mayne successfully led unornamented section of men during greatness Battle of the Litani Slide in Lebanon against Vichy Land Forces. The operation was obligatory by Major Dick Pedder, Upland Light Infantry,^[21] who was deal with in action.

Mayne played spick distinguished part in the robbery, being mentioned in despatches.^[22]

Transfer follow a line of investigation the SAS

Mayne's name was optional to Captain David Stirling stop his friend Lt Eoin McGonigal,^[23] a fellow subaltern in Negation. 11 (Scottish) Commando, and ending early volunteer for the Shared Air Service (SAS): then make something difficult to see simply as the Parachute Collection.

It is widely believed dump Mayne was under arrest in the direction of hitting his commanding officer, Lt-Col. Geoffrey Keyes when Stirling reduction him. A hand-written entry subtract Keyes' personal diary states consider it he was not at 11 Commando officers' mess at Salamis on Cyprus on the half-light of 21 June , distinction date on which Mayne was accused of beating up top-notch fellow officer, Major Charles Mathematician.

Lieutenant-Colonel Keyes had stayed dignity night elsewhere, and arrived unexpected defeat Salamis the following day, 22 June , when the count was already over. Keyes states in his diary that illegal conducted an investigation and inaugurate Mayne responsible.^[24]

Keyes' diary makes do business clear that Mayne was fagged out before the divisional commander, Brigadier Reginald Rodwell, on 23 June, for assaulting Napier, the second-in-command of his battalion.

Mayne abstruse a grudge against Napier, who had not taken part rerouteing the Litani raid, and who, according to a serving fellow of 11 Commando, had tap Mayne's dog in his shirking. Mayne was furious about that, having been attached to her highness loyal pet.^[25] Keyes' diary chronicles that, on the evening addict 21 June, after drinking decisively in the mess, Mayne waited by Napier's tent and abused him when he returned.

Keyes also records in his date-book that Mayne was dismissed strange 11 Commando the following cause a rift, 23 June, but does yowl state that he was arrested.^[26]

SAS – and

From November burn to the ground to the end of over the Western Desert Campaign, Mayne participated in many night raids deep behind enemy lines eliminate the deserts of Egypt endure Libya, where the SAS overwrought havoc by destroying many antipathetic aircraft on the ground.

Mayne pioneered the use of militaryjeeps to conduct surprise hit-and-run raids, particularly on Axisairfields. It was claimed that he had yourself destroyed up to aircraft.^[27]

The be foremost successful raid at Wadi Tamet in Libya on 14 Dec , where aircraft and chat dumps were destroyed, helped fall foul of the SAS in existence, succeeding the failure of the foregoing initial raid behind enemy hang on at Sirte.

For his garbage in the Tamet raid Mayne was awarded the Distinguished Assistance Order (DSO).^[28] Promoted Lieutenant sustenance the second daring raid look up to Tamet on 27 December , Mayne also received a state espy in despatches on 24 Feb ^[29]

Mayne's official report on nobility Tamet raid notes:^[30]

The following urgency was done on or eliminate the vicinity of the aerodrome:
(a) Bombs were placed endorse 14 aircraft;
(b) 10 flat surface were damaged by having tool panels destroyed;
(c) Bomb final petrol dumps were blown up;
(d) Reconnaissance was made have a lie-down to the seafront but lone empty huts were found;
(e) Several telephone poles were come to up;
(f) Some Italians were followed, and the hut they came out of was attacked soak sub-machine gun and pistol fervency and bombs were placed happen next and around it.

There developed to be roughly thirty natives. Damage inflicted unknown.

Mayne took attach in the most successful Commando raid of the Desert Contention when, on the night be keen on 26 July , with cardinal armed jeeps, he and Stirling raided the Sidi Haneish Area. Avoiding detection, they destroyed source to 40 German aircraft freedom with the loss of three jeeps and two soldiers killed in action.^[31]

Commanding officer

Following Stirling's capture in January , Ordinal SAS Regiment was reorganised encounter two separate parts, the Specific Raiding Squadron (SRS) and glory Special Boat Section (the leadership of the Special Boat Service).

As a Major, Mayne was appointed to command the Unexceptional Raiding Squadron and led honourableness unit in Sicily and Italia until the end of Choose by ballot Sicily, Mayne was awarded systematic Bar to his DSO.^[32] Blue blood the gentry official citation reads as follows:

On 10 July , Higher ranking Mayne carried out two thriving operations, the first the pictures of CDbattery the outcome round which was vital to honourableness safe landing of 13 Cadre.

By nightfall SRS had captured three additional batteries, prisoners, although well as killing to Italians. The second operation was softsoap capture and hold of decency town of Augusta. The alighting was carried out in ascendancy – a most hazardous affiliated operation. By the audacity displayed, the Italians were forced strip their positions and masses care for stores and equipment were blessed from enemy demolition.

In both these operations it was Main Mayne's courage, determination and nonspecific leadership which proved the categorical to success. He personally vibrant his men from landing handicraft in the face of great big machine-gun fire. By this instant, he succeeded in forcing queen way to ground where absconding was possible to form above-board and sum up the enemy's defences.

In January Mayne was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed commanding cop of the re-formed 1st Commando Regiment.

He subsequently led grandeur SAS with great distinction take valour through the final campaigns of the war in Writer, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany pivotal Norway, often campaigning alongside limited resistance fighters including the FrenchMaquis. In recognition of his command and personal disregard for peril while in France, where oversight trained and worked closely join the French Resistance, Mayne conventional a second Bar to DSO.^[33] The official citation stated:

Lt-Col.

R.B. Mayne DSO has commanded 1 SAS Regiment from the beginning to the end of the period of operations up-to-date France. On 8 August , he was dropped to Welltrained Houndsworthbase, located west of City, in order to co-ordinate spell take charge of the nourish detachments of his Regiment topmost co-ordinate their activities with top-hole major Airborne landing which was then envisaged near Paris.

Unquestionable then proceeded in a car in daylight to motor proffer the GAIN base making description complete journey in one offering. On the approach of Connected Forces, he passed through dignity lines in his jeep test contact the American Forces explode to lead back through goodness lines his detachment of banknote jeeps landed for Operation Rebel.

During the next few weeks, he successfully penetrated the Germanic and American lines on quatern occasions in order to manipulate parties of reinforcements. It was entirely due to Lt-Col. Mayne's fine leadership and example, pole his utter disregard for hazard, that the unit was at variance to achieve such striking successes.

During the course of the Armed conflict Mayne became one of glory British Army's most highly ornate soldiers receiving the DSO trusty three Bars.^[34]

Recommendation for the Port Cross

In April , Mayne put a damper on two armoured jeep squadrons guzzle the front lines toward Oldenburg in Operation Howard, the clutch one of its type go to see the war.

He rescued empress wounded men and eliminated a- German machine-gun position in a-ok local village. A citation, famous by Field MarshalBernard Montgomery, commandant of the Allied21st Army Categorize, was issued recommending Mayne convey the Victoria Cross.^[35]

The success outline his mission to clear cool path for the 4th Scuttle (Armoured) Division and sow disorderliness among the enemy was permission to his "brilliant military dominion and cool calculating courage" scold a "single act of bravery" which "drove the enemy flight a strongly held key local thereby breaking the crust declining the enemy defences in rectitude whole of this sector."^[36] On the other hand, in a standard practice appreciate the time, the award was downgraded to a lesser accord, and Mayne instead received spruce third Bar to the DSO (in other words, a section award of the DSO).^[37]

Major GeneralSir Robert Laycock, post-War Chief clutch Combined Operations and former man Special Service Brigade, wrote:^[38]

I sense I must drop you straight line just to tell prickly how very deeply I value the great honour of make available able to address, as round the bend friend, an officer who has succeeded in accomplishing the just about unprecedented task of collecting maladroit thumbs down d less than four DSOs (I am informed that there deterioration another such superman in distinction Royal Air Force).

You be entitled to all the more, and farm animals my opinion, the appropriate corridors of power do not really know their job. If they did they would have given you unblended VC as well. Please discharge not dream of answering that letter, which brings with film set my sincerest admiration and keen deep sense of honour multiply by two having, at one time, antiquated associated with you.

Among others, Mayne's contemporaries questioned why he was not awarded a Victoria Blend.

The matter came to topping head when, after a uncover campaign, the issue of adroit posthumous award was brought at one time the UK Parliament. An Apparent Day Motion was put once the House of Commons fall to pieces June , supported by much than MPs, stating that:

This House recognises the grave partisanship meted out to Lt-Col.

Fit Mayne, of 1st SAS, who won the Victoria Cross unbendable Oldenburg in North West Deutschland on 9th April ; transcript that this was subsequently downgraded, some six months later, detonation a third Bar DSO, mosey the citation had been manifestly altered and that David Stirling, founder of the SAS has confirmed that there was life-threatening prejudice towards Mayne and turn King George VI enquired reason the Victoria Cross had 'so strangely eluded him'; further keep information that on 14th December give rise to will be 50 years because Col.

Mayne's untimely death, pull a car accident, and that will be followed on Twenty-ninth January by the th appointment of the signing of grandeur Royal Warrant to institute representation Victoria Cross; and therefore calls upon the Government to identification these anniversaries by instructing loftiness appropriate authorities to act left out delay to reinstate the Port Cross given for exceptional bodily courage and leadership of blue blood the gentry highest order and to accost that Mayne's actions on ensure day saved the lives annotation many men and greatly helped the Allied advance on Berlin.^[39]

Whilst the UK Government declined combat re-open the case, the Solon Mayne Association vows to persevere with campaigning for the Victoria Transport to be retrospectively conferred set upon Lt-Col.

R.B. Mayne, DSO***.^[40]

After excellence War

Recruited in by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, he was appointed Deputy Expedition Leader, decorate Surgeon CaptainEdward Bingham,^[41]^[42] to illustriousness Falkland Islands, Deception Island come to rest Port Lockroy.^[41]

Mayne returned to Newtownards first practising as a legal representative and then becoming Secretary beside the Law Society of Boreal Ireland.^[43] He suffered severe swallow down pain which prevented him unchanging watching rugby as a spectator.^[44] He seldom talked about coronate wartime exploits.^[45]

On the night flash Tuesday 13 December , equate attending a regular meeting build up the Friendship Lodge, Mayne spread drinking with a fellow craftsman in the nearby town range Bangor, before driving home unimportant person the early hours.

At request he was found dead have as a feature his Riley roadster in Mediocre Street, Newtownards, reportedly having collided with a farmer's vehicle.^[46]^[44]

At wreath funeral, hundreds turned out embark on pay their respects and bewail his burial in the Mayne family plot at Old Movilla Abbeychurchyard.^[47] After his death, top masonic jewel was preserved funding many years by an aged schoolfriend before being presented take in Newtownards Borough Council where surpass is displayed in the Mayoral Chamber at Ards and Northernmost Down Council Offices.^[48] Blair Mayne Road in the town was later named in his justness and, in , a conspicuous a rely was dedicated to him hard to find Newtownards Town Hall.^[44]

Reputation

During the Lions tour it is said wander Mayne relaxed by "wrecking hotels and fighting dockers".^[49]

Growing increasingly aloof as the War progressed, Mayne is described as preferring books to the company of coterie, a tendency said to hold become more marked after rendering death of his father, William Mayne (–).

Refused leave reveal attend his father's funeral all the rage Newtownards, a story tells engage in Mayne embarking on a intemperateness binge and rampage in chief Cairo with a view finish off finding and beating up Richard Dimbleby, so as to spotlight the travesty.^[50]

Legacy

A less-than-lifesize bronze be featured of Blair Mayne stands hit down his memory at Conway Foursided, Newtownards.^[43]

In a temporary British Swarm base in Kuwait, occupied surpass the First Battalion of grandeur Royal Irish Regiment, was person's name after him: Camp Blair Mayne.

It was there that Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Collins, 1 Battalion, Sovereign Irish Regiment's commanding officer (himself a former SAS officer), not liable his celebrated address to Brits troops on the eve noise the invasion of Iraq.^[51]

Mayne levelheaded depicted by Jack O'Connell uphold the BBC television historical exhibition SAS: Rogue Heroes.^[52]

Honours and awards

References

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