Robert Blair Mayne wins third DSO for ‘gallant services in north-west Europe’ (1945)
It had been announced in the London Gazette during this week in 1945 that Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair Mayne, of Newtownards, had been awarded the second Bar to the DSO for gallant services in North-West Europe.
The News Letter reported: “Lieut-Colonel Mayne, who is aged 29, is the son of Mr and Mrs William Mayne, Mount Pleasant, Newtownards. He is a solicitor. He was educated at Regent House School and Queen's University, and was in the firm of Mr T C G Mackintosh, LLB, before he enlisted in the Royal Artillery, from which he transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles.”
The News Letter added: “He was on the Queen’s University and Malone Rugby teams, and played for Ireland in six international matches.
“He was also a member of the British team, captained S Walker, which toured South Africa in 1935.”
The News Letter noted that in August 1944 it has been announced that Lieut-Colonel Mayne was the commanding officer of Britain’s most secret regiment - “the Special Air Service” - which had been dropping by parachutes behind the German lines and striking at their communications since D-Day.
The News Letter noted of the SAS: “The regiment began its work during the Middle East campaign, and Lieut-Colonel Mayne, who was then a lieutenant, took part in its first operation - which was a failure - in November, 1941. In the second, in which about 100 aeroplanes were destroyed, he himself destroyed 47.”
It continued: “The regiment’s patrols were so elusive and successful in further operations that the Germans had to guard each aeroplane with three sentries.”
After the desert war, the regiment became for a time the Special Raiding Squadron, and it made the first opposed daylight assault of the war in Sicily and performed many feats in Italy, including the capture of Termoli.
Lieut-Colonel Mayne was awarded the DSO in February, 1942, and was given a Bar to the award in October, 1943, for gallantry in Sicily.
Meanwhile, the following awards had also announced in recognition of gallant and distinguished services North-West Europe: CB (Military Division) - Major General (temp) Allan Henry Shafto Adair, DSO, MC (late Grenadier Guards), son of Sir Shafto Adair of Ballymena.