Blair Mayne Research Society

He was named for his Mothers cousin Captain Robert Blair, of the Border Regiment, who was awarded the DSO for rescuing wounded under fire on the 11th June 1915 and who was killed in Action in the battle of the Somme on the 16th July 1916.

Educated at Miss Browns Kindergarten in Newtownards, from 1921, through the Ards Academy in 1924 and in 1928 the Academy was renamed Regent House School.

He was a keen sportsman, an excellent shot with a .22 rifle; he became the Secretary and a life long member of Cunnings burn Swimming Club. At sixteen he was an excellent scratch golf player, but it was in Rugby where he found his real sport.

He captained Regent House 1st XV and by December 1931, at age sixteen was playing for Ards Rugby Football Club 2nd XV. By January 1932 he played for the 1st XV and by 1933, at the age of eighteen, he was appointed captain.

HIGHER EDUCATION

In June 1933 Blair was apprenticed to Mackintosh Solicitors in Newtownards, and in September of that year was reading Law at Queens University Belfast. He continued to play Rugby for Ards and QUB and also boxed as a heavyweight for the university, winning the Irish Universities Heavyweight Championship in 1936.

While at University he served in the QUB Officers Training Corps, enlisting as a Private in 1933, Service No. 2042R and he left on the 26th November 1938 as a Sergeant, having passed all his certificates with ‘A’s and ‘B’s. Despite this his final report states "Unpromising material for a Combat Regiment, unruly and unreliable".

Blair’s Rugby career continued to shine, in 1936 he won his 1st Ulster Cap, and in June 1937 he won his first of six caps for Ireland.

In November 1938 Blair qualified as a Solicitor and joined Mclaine and Sons Solicitors in Belfast, at the same time he was chosen for the British Lions Team to travel to South Africa, where he played to great acclaim in three test matches. He did not known it then but this was to be the height of his Sporting Career as he played only two further international games in 1939.

      Driving Licence Photograph of Blair Age 17

HIS CONVENTIONAL WAR YEARS

On leaving QUB in 1938, Blair along with his Friend Ted Griffiths (DFC, Squadron Leader, RAF), while at a Rugby Match in Dublin completed applications for the Supplementary Reserve (later called the TA) and posted them without stamps in a Dublin Hotel. In February 1939 both were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment at the Moville Road Camp in Newtownards. When War was declared on 3rd September 1939, the 5th Light AA Regt was immediately dispatched to North Africa, where it won fame at Tobruk, where it was destroyed, being left behind when all the remainder of the heavy artillery retreated. It ceased to exist at that time.

Blair Mayne did not travel with the 5th Light AA Regt and was commissioned in to the Royal Ulster Rifles n April 1940. Wanting to be in the fight, Blair then transferred to The Cameronians and again transferred to the 11th Scottish Commandos in July of that year.

In January 1941 the 11th Scottish Commando embarked as part of ‘Layforce’ to the Middle East and on the 3rd June 1941 took part in the ‘Litani River Raid’ where Blair was ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ for his actions.

After the raid the Powers to be decided that Commandos were not the troops they wanted in Africa and the 11th Scottish Commandos were stationed in Cyprus and generally left out of the war. It was here that 2nd Lieutenant Robert Blair Mayne ended his conventional War career by striking his Commanding Officer Colonel Geoff Keyes.

THE SPECIAL AIR SERVICES

By late 1941, when the Commando forces were not being utilised fully in the conflict, despite Prime Minister Churchill’s instructions and desires, a former Guards Commando, Captain David Stirling, whilst in Hospital with back injuries from a Parachute accident, put together a scheme for a small, highly trained Unit to work behind Enemy Lines. Despite being turned own by various Offices, Stirling eventually bluffed his way into the CIC, s Office and placed his ideas in front of him. His actions resulted in his promotion and instructions to form a Unit of 60 men and Officers, to be called ‘L’ Detachment, Special Air Service Regiment. The SAS had been formed.

NORTH AFRICA

Stirling had heard of Blair Mayne from Eion McGonigal and visited him under close arrest and offered Blair the chance to join ‘L’ Detachment. After agreeing never to strike his new CO, Blair Accepted.

After intensive and rudimentary parachute training at Kabrit ‘L’ Detachment’s first raid took place on the 17th November 1941. It was a disaster. In a storm and heavy winds, 6 Officers and 55 Ors jumped from Bombay Bombers to attack the German airfield at Tamimi and Gazala. Men were killed in the drop, many were captured, some disappeared and the airfields were never reached. Only 4 Officers and 18 Ors returned.

Training continued and on the 8th December 1941, ‘L’ Detachment, travelling with the Long Range Desert Group, attacked Tamit and Sirte. Lieutenant Robert Blair Mayne with 7 men attacked Tamit where they destroyed 14 aircraft by bombs, 10 by gunfire, destroyed Fuel and Ammo dumps. Blair and Corporal Reg Seekings shot up a Mess Hut containing some 50 enemy Officers and men.

For this action Blair was promoted to Captain and awarded his first DSO. (Gazetted 24th February 1942).

On 27th December 1941 Blair and 5 men attacked Tamet and destroyed 27 Aircraft, 3 Lorries and POL dumps. On the 10th January 1942 Blair was promoted to 2.I.C. ‘L’ Detachment SAS. In July of that year the SAS received Wilys Jeeps which they armed with redundant RAF Vickers ‘K’ Guns. Now the SAS had the men and the Weapons.

7th July 1942 the first jeep raid on Kufra was a success, during the operation Blair Mayne was seen jumping from the moving jeeps to plant bombs on the aircraft. And so it went on, 9th July, 14 A/C destroyed at El Daba, 11th July, 22 at Fuka, 17th July, 40 at Sidi Haneish.

On the 21st September 1942 ‘L’ Detachment was renamed 1st Special Air Service Regiment, a second Regiment was formed under Bill Stirling (David’s brother); a French and Greek Regiment was also formed. Throughout the remainder of the year the raiding went on with great success.

On the 24th January 1942, Lieutenant Colonel David Stirling was captured and he sent word that Blair Mayne was to take charge, So Robert Blair became a Temporary Lieutenant Colonel and took over command of 1st SAS.

During this time Blair’s Father died and he was not allowed to go home for the funeral. It was a difficult time for him and he again took to the drink.

SICILY

1n 1943 the fighting in Africa was over and the Planned invasion of Europe was to take place. The 1st SAS was renamed the Special Raiding Squadron and was put in training for the invasion of Sicily. On the 10th -11th July 1943 Blair Mayne led him men into Sicily. Landing at Capo Murro Di Porco (Cape of pigs) the SRS captured 2 Costal Gun positions and some 300 Italians; on the 12th July they put in a frontal landing at Augusta and captured the town in some 8 hours losing 1 man KIA. For this action Blair was awarded his 1st Bar to the DSO.

ITALY

On the 1st September 1043 the SRS landed and attacked Bagnara on the coast of Italy, killing 47 enemy and taking 35 POWs for the loss of 5 men KIA and 6 WIA.

3rd October 1943 the SRS landed behind No.3. and No40 Commando on the coastal town of Termolio, behind the enemy lines. After 3 days of severe fighting the town was taken, but casualties were high, 29 men were killed in one incident when a shell fell on a lorry containing reserve SRS to the front line.

After this the SRS went back to North Africa and then to England.

D-DAY EUROPE AND GERMANY

Back in England the SAS was upgraded to a Brigade under Roddy McLeod.

The 1st SAS trained at Darvel in Scotland. Their job in the invasion was to drop behind the enemy line to meet and lead the Marquis and the French resistance.

Various Operations took place after D-Day, Bulbasket, Gain, Haft. Haggard, Houndsworth and Kipling.

In operation Gain II a team lead by Captain Garstin were taken prisoner and executed under Hitler’s Command Order.

In Bulbasket, 34 men were captured and captured.

Blair kept in touch with his men by Radio and wrote to their parents or wife’s to let them know the men were all right during operations. On the 9/10th August 1944 Blair dropped into France near the Morvan, he stayed a few days and drove through the lines to Normandy and back to England.

On the 19th August he again dropped in France near Orleans, picking up 20 Jeeps air dropped, he lead them through the lines to Operation Kipling, leaving the jeeps with the reinforcements he lead the sick man and jeeps, back through the German lines.

For these actions Blair was awarded his 2nd Bar to his DSO.

By the end of 1944 the 1st SAS were on the Dutch German Border and on 10th April 1945 they took part in Operation Howard, acting in front of 4th Canadian Armoured Division. At a village called Borgerwald near Oldenburg the leading elements of B Squadron were ambushed and its CO killed. Blair came up and took over, with an Officer driving and Blair manning the Guns he made attack after attack down the road under fire until he could rescue the dead and wounded. By the end of the attack the Germans retreated. For this action Blair was recommended for the Victoria Cross but was awarded the 3rd Bar to his DSO. Blair told his brother that he had been recommended for the VC but hoped if he was not awarded it he could get a MC.

Cpl. William Hull, Blair's Driver (1st on Right)

On the 4th May 1945 the German forces surrendered in this area. The SAS in Europe had killed or captured 12517 enemy, destroyed 7 trains, cut 122 railways, destroyed 700 vehicles all for 161 casualties out of 2500 men.

On 12th May 1st SAS travelled to Norway to disarm some 30,000 Germans.

By October 1945 the Regiment was disbanded, by 30th June 1946 the War Time SAS was written out of the British Army.

POST WAR CAREER

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair (Paddy) Mayne DSO and 3 Bars returned to Civilian life as a hero but with nothing to do. He was not invited to give his opinion of how the SAS could be incorporated into a peace time army. A back injury received on the 1sr raid meant he could not play Rugby, made Golf or swimming difficult.

In late 1945 he travelled as part of Lord Hunt’s team for a 2 year trip to the Falkland Islands. His back let him down, in early 1946 he was back home disappointed.

He was then appointed as Secretary to the Law Society of Northern Ireland and he took his position seriously, except when some old friend or veteran would call and he would lock the office and go out on the town. He enjoyed poetry and gardening, and raised chickens at his home in Mount Pleasant, Newtownards.

As his friends married or moved away he became a bit of a loner, drinking in the pubs of Belfast and Newtownards and causing the odd difficulties. On the night of the 13/14th December 1955 when driving home from a friends in Bangor, he turned onto the Scrabo Road as he had always done, but this night struck a parked lorry close to the corned, and his Riley careered across the road and struck a electricity Pole. He died of a broken neck.

The Town of Newtownards was closed for his funeral on the 16th December 1955, crowds lined the streets, most of his comrades flew in for his final trip, some wished to Parachute onto Newtownards in his memory. It took 2 hours for his coffin to pass to the graveside.

The Reverend Fraser McLusky, Padre to the 1st SAS read the service.

"The death of Paddy Mayne has been a great shock to all those who knew him, both during and after the last war. Those who served under him came to regard him as indestructible and it is a tragedy that he should meet his end in a motor car accident. The gift of leadership and his ability to inspire complete devotion and loyalty were his to an exceptional degree."

It says a lot for the man when it is noted that while Lieutenant Colonel David Stirling’s portrait is framed on the wall of the Officers Mess in SAS Headquarters that of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair (Paddy) Mayne hangs in the Sergeants Mess.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne, 1915 to 1955.

The Distinguished Service Order. 1942 North Africa.

1st Bar 1943 Sicily

2nd Bar 1944 Normandy

3rd Bar 1944 North West Europe.

(Only 8 other Servicemen awarded DSO +3 Bars in WWII)

The 1939 – 1945 Star.

The Africa Star with 8th Army Bar.

The Italy Star.

The France and Germany Star.

The Defence Medal 1939 – 1945.

The 1939 – 1945 War Medal with Oak Leaf (Mention in Dispatches).

The Legion De Honneur.

The Croix De Gurre 1939.