Robert Blair Mayne

Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne was a British Army officer, sportsman, and a founding member of the Special Air Service (SAS). Born in Newtownards, County Down, he was a talented athlete, becoming the Irish Universities Heavyweight boxing champion and playing international rugby for Ireland and the British Lions on their 1938 tour of South Africa. He was also a qualified solicitor before the outbreak of World War II prompted him to enlist in the military, initially serving with the Royal Artillery and later volunteering for the newly formed No. 11 (Scottish) Commando.

Mayne's military career took a legendary turn in North Africa, where he was recruited by Captain David Stirling as one of the original members of 'L' Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade—the forerunner of the modern SAS. Despite a rebellious nature that sometimes put him at odds with authority, Mayne proved to be an exceptionally brave and effective special forces operator. He pioneered the use of Jeeps armed with machine guns for daring hit-and-run raids deep behind enemy lines, personally destroying dozens of German and Italian aircraft on the ground at their airfields. His audacious tactics and fearless leadership became a hallmark of the early SAS.

After Stirling's capture in 1943, Mayne took command of the Special Air Service Regiment and led it with distinction through the campaigns in Sicily, Italy, and Northwest Europe. He was known for leading from the front, instilling immense loyalty and courage in his men. During operations in France, the Netherlands, and Germany, he continued to display extraordinary valor. One of his most famous actions occurred near Oldenburg, Germany, in April 1945, where he single-handedly cleared a German-held village, an action for which he was recommended for the Victoria Cross, though it was ultimately downgraded.

By the end of the war, Lieutenant-Colonel Paddy Mayne was one of the British Army's most highly decorated soldiers, having been awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) four times (the medal and three bars). After the war, he returned to Newtownards to work as a solicitor. His life was cut short in 1955 by a car accident. Today, Paddy Mayne is revered as a towering figure in the history of special forces, embodying the courage, audacity, and fighting spirit of the SAS.