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Paddy Mayne

Updated: Wikipedia source

Paddy Mayne

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair Mayne, (11 January 1915 – 14 December 1955), best known as Paddy Mayne or familiarly as Blair, was a British Army officer from Newtownards. He was an amateur boxing champion, qualified as a solicitor and played rugby union for Ireland and the British Lions before becoming a founding member of the Special Air Service (SAS). Serving with distinction during the Second World War, Mayne became one of the British Army's most highly decorated officers. He was controversially denied the Victoria Cross, a decoration which King George VI remarked "so strangely eluded him".

Infobox

Nicknames
PaddyThe Irish Lion
Born
(1915-01-11)11 January 1915Newtownards, County Down, Ireland
Died
14 December 1955(1955-12-14) (aged 40)Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Branch
British Army
Years of service
1939–1945
Rank
Lieutenant-Colonel
Service number
87306
Commands
1st Special Air Service Regiment
Battles / wars
mw- li Second World War North African Campaign Battle of the Litani River Sicily Campaign Operation Overlord Operation Houndsworth Operation Wallace Operation Howard
Awards
mw- Distinguished Service Order & Three BarsMentioned in DespatchesLegion of Honour (France)Croix de guerre (France)
Alma mater
Regent House Grammar SchoolQueen's University Belfast
Other work
Solicitor, Secretary to the Law Society of Northern Ireland
Service years
1939–1945

Tables

· Honours and awards
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order with three Bars
24 February 194221 October 1943 (1st Bar)29 March 1945 (2nd Bar)11 October 1945 (3rd Bar)
1939–45 Star
Africa Star
With 8th ARMY clasp
Italy Star
France and Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939–1945 with bronze oak leaf clasp for Mention in Despatches
24 February 1942 (MiD)
Officer of the Legion of Honour
1946 (France)
Croix de guerre 1939–1945
1946 (France)

References

  1. Possibly referring to with Basil Embry or Willie Tait both with DSO and three bars
  2. www.army.mod.uk
    https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/about-the-army/corps-regiments-and-units/uk-special-forces-reserve/21-23-special-air-service-sas/
  3. The Oxford Companion to World War II, Oxford University Press, 2001 paperback edition, ISBN 0198604467, 'Special Air Ser
  4. Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum
    https://www.niwarmemorial.org/collections/blog/the-bravest-man-never-to-have-been-awarded-a-vc-a-re-examination
  5. burkespeerage.com
    https://www.burkespeerage.com/
  6. livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk
    https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/374240
  7. Rogue Warrior of the SAS: The Blair Mayne Legend
    https://books.google.com/books?id=qfdFWBDfBZ0C&pg=PT11
  8. Regent House School
    https://www.regenthouse.org.uk/
  9. SAS in Italy 1943-1945: Raiders in Enemy Territory
    https://books.google.com/books?id=86V4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT53
  10. "Our Famous Member"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20221114011255/https://www.scrabogolfclubni.com/the-club/
  11. www.historyextra.com
    https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/real-paddy-mayne-who-sas-life/
  12. World Rugby Museum
    https://worldrugbymuseum.com/from-the-vaults/players/the-paddy-mayne-story
  13. "Blair Mayne WW2 SAS Special Forces Newtownards"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20100712120503/http://www.blairmayne.org/
  14. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/jun/14/history-lions-tours
  15. "Mayne, Robert Blair ('Paddy')"
    https://www.dib.ie/biography/mayne-robert-blair-paddy-a5542
  16. Paddy Mayne
  17. www.qub.ac.uk
    https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/future-ready-award/activity-search-tool/activities/LeadershipandManagementTraining-QueensUniversityOfficersTrainingCorp.html
  18. Maclaine & Co Solicitors
    https://www.maclaines.co.uk/about-us/
  19. www.libraryireland.com
    https://www.libraryireland.com/UlsterDirectory1910/Newtownards3.php
  20. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34611/page/2092
  21. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34830/supplement/2230
  22. www.commandoveterans.org
    https://www.commandoveterans.org/Pedder11Commando
  23. "Irish SAS Hero: Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne"
    https://www.historynet.com/robert-blair-paddy-mayne/
  24. "Eoin McGonigal: Paddy Mayne's best friend and SAS original"
    https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/the-beltel/eoin-mcgonigal-paddy-maynes-best-friend-and-sas-original/1149565108.html
  25. Geoffrey Keyes' Personal Diary, Lord Keyes' Papers
  26. Private letter to Michael Asher, uncorroborated
  27. The Regiment by Michael Asher, Geoffrey Keyes' Personal Diary, Lord Keyes' Papers
  28. "'Paddy' Mayne: An Irish Lion"
    https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/paddy-mayne
  29. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35465/supplement/894
  30. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35465/supplement/899
  31. "Six of the best from Colonel Paddy Mayne"
    https://archives.wartimeni.com/article/six-of-the-best-from-colonel-paddy-mayne/
  32. The Eyes of the Desert Rats: British Long-Range Reconnaissance Operations in the North African Desert 1940–43
    https://books.google.com/books?id=gVowDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234
  33. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36217/supplement/4661
  34. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37004/supplement/1709
  35. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37302/supplement/5004
  36. "Paddy Mayne: The bravehearted Irish Lion who joined the SAS"
    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/paddy-mayne-the-bravehearted-irish-lion-who-joined-the-sas-1.3105452
  37. Halliday, Hugh Valour Reconsidered: Inquiries into The Victoria Cross (Robin Brass Studio Inc, Toronto, ON, 2006) Append
  38. Halliday, Hugh Valour Reconsidered: Inquiries into The Victoria Cross (Robin Brass Studio Inc, Toronto, ON, 2006) Hallid
  39. SAS Heroes: Remarkable Soldiers, Extraordinary Men
    https://books.google.com/books?id=4VObCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA38
  40. House of Commons
    http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2005-06/317
  41. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-30759709
  42. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7y5y37vxo.amp
  43. www.forcesnews.com
    https://www.forcesnews.com/heritage/wwii/sas-expert-us-and-australia-honour-historic-heroes-why-cant-uk-do-same-paddy-mayne
  44. Belfast News Letter
    https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/bbc-tv-series-sas-rogue-heroes-gives-momentum-to-fresh-call-for-victoria-cross-for-robert-blair-paddy-mayne-4940231
  45. Antarctic Times
  46. British Antarctic Oral History Project
    https://basclub.org/oral-history/index/AD6-24-1-1/
  47. Web Archive
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110910193241/http://www.blairmayne.org/afterthewar.htm
  48. WartimeNI
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220811171914/https://wartimeni.com/person/robert-blair-mayne/
  49. Irish Masonic History and the Jewels of Irish Freemasonry
    http://www.irishmasonichistory.com/lt-col-robert-blair-paddy-mayne-dso-freemason.html
  50. Lord Ashcroft
    https://www.lordashcroft.com/2020/11/he-will-be-remembered-as-the-bravest-man-in-history-to-never-be-awarded-the-victoria-cross/
  51. "About Us"
    https://movillaabbeychurch.com/about-us/
  52. Ards and North Down Borough Council
    https://ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/council/the-mayors-office
  53. The Daily Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1505430/50-years-after-his-death-maverick-colonel-may-yet-receive-the-VC.html
  54. Paddy Mayne: Lt Col Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, 1 SAS Regiment
    https://books.google.com/books?id=2DE7AwAAQBAJ
  55. The Belfast Telegraph
    https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/health/me-and-my-health-retired-british-army-colonel-tim-collins-on-his-lifestyle-38922350.html
  56. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/30/sas-rogue-heroes-review-is-the-follow-up-to-peaky-blinders-fun-does-arthur-shelby-like-a-drink
  57. "Mayne, Robert Blair "Paddy""
    https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/42139/Mayne-Robert-Blair-Paddy.htm
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