Evidence of whether one of the founding members of the SAS should be awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) posthumously will be reviewed, a defence minister has said.
Al Carns said the military service of Lieutenant Colonel Blair “Paddy” Mayne, a highly decorated war hero from Co Down, will be looked at to “provide an answer once and for all”.
There have been calls for Lt Col Mayne, who volunteered for service at the start of the Second World War before putting his name forward to join the Commandos, to be given the highest award of all.
In the Commons, Mr Carns said the Honours Committee will conduct a “calculated review” of the historical facts, after DUP MP Jim Shannon put forward an early day motion on the issue.
Speaking to MPs, the minister said: “What we know from the paperwork that exists about Lieutenant Colonel Mayne’s recommendation for a Victoria Cross, there is lots of speculation that appropriate processes were not followed, or that an administrative error took place.
“The evidence we have suggests Lieutenant Colonel Mayne’s citation passed through the correct chain of command and was properly considered by a succession of senior officers, all of whom were experienced and had a lot of combat experience, both in leadership and the field, in consideration of medallic recognition and gallantry awards, after many years of hard fighting during the Second World War.”
Mr Carns added: “It is recognised, and I do note that clerical mistakes in judgments or orders, or indeed errors arising from any accidental slip or omission in language, explicitly permits fixing such errors with no time limit, as long as the intent of the original decision holds.
“And so as a Member of Parliament who has a Mentioned in Dispatches, a Military Cross and a DSO (Distinguished Service Order), I will therefore take note of this new evidence that has been highlighted and the context of which it sits, and under the exceptional circumstances of this debate, and I will ask the honours and awards committee to review the evidence and look to find a decision.
“But once the decision is found by that independent body, it will be finalised, and I think that will provide us an answer once and for all on Paddy Mayne’s both service and indeed how it is recognised.”
The second series of SAS Rogue Heroes follows Lt Col Mayne, played by Jack O’Connell, as he takes control of the SAS and attempts to prove that the regiment remains essential to the war.
Mr Shannon, the MP for Strangford, opened the debate by describing the wartime actions of Lt Col Mayne as the “stuff of which legends are made”.
He said: “When we were boys in Newtownards and Ballywalter many years ago, we looked to be that person. It is the stuff of which many of us dreamed as young boys and acted out in our gardens.
“Blair Mayne was certainly a hero of mine as a young child, many years ago. His actions were those of a man who put others first, and who went above and beyond the call of duty.
“There is absolutely no doubt that his actions on that day were heroic, and worthy of recognition and commendation.”
Ulster Unionist Party MP Robin Swann (South Antrim) said Lt Col Mayne’s “courage and leadership helped shape one of the most elite fighting forces in the world”.
He said: “Although his name is now etched in military history, one honour that did elude him is the Victoria Cross and I think today’s debate allows us the opportunity to look at those circumstances and potentially correct that.”
Labour MP Alison Hume (Scarborough and Whitby), a television screenwriter before her election to Parliament, praised those behind SAS Rogue Heroes.
She said: “Paddy Mayne is unforgettably played in the series by Jack O’Connell, bringing the character to vivid life.
“The producer of the show, Stephen Smallwood, told me that shooting in the Sahara Desert in July at 50C made O’Connell and the other actors think they were just as hardcore as the SAS.
“Until they were reminded that they had an air-conditioned hotel and a cold beer to return to that night.”
