Paddy Mayne

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne DSO & Three Bars (11 January 1915 – 14 December 1955) was a British Army soldier, solicitor, Ireland rugby union international, amateur boxer, and a founding member of the Special Air Service (SAS). During the course of the Second World War he became one of the British Army's most highly decorated soldiers. He was controversially denied a Victoria Cross.

Early life and sporting achievements

Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne was born in Newtownards, County Down, the second youngest of seven children. The Mayne family were prominent landowners who owned several retail businesses in the town. He was named Robert Blair after a second cousin, who at the time of his birth was a British Army officer serving in World War I. The family home, Mount Pleasant, is situated on the hills above Newtownards. A paternal ancestor was Gordon Turnbull, who led the famous Scotland Forever Charge at Waterloo.

He attended Regent House Grammar School. It was there that his talent for rugby union became evident, and he played for the school 1st XV and also the local Ards RFC team from the age of 16. While at school he also played cricket and golf, and showed aptitude as a marksman in the rifle club. On leaving school he studied law at Queen's University of Belfast, studying to become a solicitor. While at university he took up boxing, becoming Irish Universities Heavyweight Champion in August 1936. He followed this by reaching the final of the British Universities Heavyweight Championship, but was beaten on points. With a handicap of 8, he won the Scrabo Golf Club President's Cup the next year. While at university Mayne was an officer cadet with the Queen's University, Belfast Contingent, Officer Training Corps.