Fans of hit drama series have been devastated to find out the true events behind the show. Based on Ben MacIntyre’s acclaimed book, the series delves into the origins of the Special Forces, spotlighting Lieutenant David Stirling, portrayed by Connor Swindells, and his band of daring comrades.
While some of the characters are fictionalised, others are based on real people and their real stories. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair “Paddy” Mayne (played by is one of the real life characters under focus in the series.
The soldier was a prominent British Army officer and a key figure in the founding of the SAS. His journey with the forces began when his friend, Lieutenant Eoin McGonigal, recommended him to , the founder of the SAS.
He was 24-years-old when the war began, and joined the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1940. In 1941, he was recruited to join the newly formed Special Service Brigade, receiving the Distinguished Service Order for a raid behind enemy lines in Libya.
When the war came to an end, he returned to his hometown of Newtownards and resumed his work as a solicitor. He also became Secretary of the Law Society of Northern Ireland.
Paddy Mayne was based on a real person (Image: BBC)
Tragically, his life came to an early end when he died in December 1955 at the age of 40, found dead in his car under mysterious circumstances.
On the night he died, Mayne had reportedly been drinking heavily at a Masonic Lodge with a friend in nearby Bangor.
He was said to have drove home in the early hours, and was found dead at 4am in his Riley roadster. It was reported that he collided with a farm vehicle.
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Following his tragic death, a number of things happened to keep the soldier’s memory alive. A bronze statue of Mayne has been erected in Conway Square, Newtownards in 1997.
A bypass constructed around the town was also named in his honour. Meanwhile, in 2003, a temporary British Army base in Kuwait was named Camp Blair Mayne after him.
He is buried in the Mayne Family burial plot at Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards.