How SAS Rogue Heroes' Paddy Mayne's bravery merited an honour that never came
How SAS Rogue Heroes' Paddy Mayne's bravery merited an honour that never came
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The hit BBC One drama SAS Rogue Heroes returns, with the elite SAS team embarking on a perilous new mission that leaves Bill Stirling (Gwilym Lee) decidedly unenthusiastic. Dubbing it a "suicide mission" during a tense meeting with General Montgomery (Con O'Neill), Stirling's concerns are clear.
In the meeting, General Montgomery hails Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) as a vital driving force within the SAS - a sentiment echoed in real life, where Montgomery actively championed recognition for Paddy's unwavering bravery. Montgomery even signed off on a Victoria Cross recommendation - the highest honour - only to see it dismissed by Whitehall bureaucrats.
In April 1945, two SAS squadrons are ambushed by German paratroopers outside Oldenburg. Defying orders not to lead from the front, Paddy Mayne boldly headed into the fray, taking charge of the situation. With remarkable calmness, Paddy single-handedly neutralised the source of the intense enemy fire, as recounted by Lieutenant John Scott: "He drove up the road past the position where the squadron commander had been killed a few minutes previously, giving me cool precise fire orders.".
"We stopped, turned the jeep around and drove back again into cover... Colonel Mayne fully realised the risk [of extricating the survivors], yet once more turned the jeep round and drove up the road... He jumped out of the jeep giving me orders to continue firing, lifted the wounded out of the ditch, placed them in the jeep and drove back to the main party.".
