Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair MAYNE, D.S.O. (3 Bars) Legion D'Honneur, Croix-De-Guerre. Special Air Service. Lived at Mount Pleasant, Newtownards, Co Down, Northern Ireland and died Mill Street, Newtownards.
He is at rest in a family grave in Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards
The following is credited to Wikipedia -
In March 1939, prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Mayne had joined the Supplementary Reserve in Newtownards and received a commission in the Royal Artillery, being posted to 5 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, in 8th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, later 8th (Belfast) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment. When the battery was assigned to 9th Anti-Aircraft Regiment (later 9th (Londonderry) Heavy AA Regiment) for overseas' service, Mayne was transferred out to 66th Light AA Regiment in Northern Ireland. Then, in April 1940, he was transferred again, this time to the Royal Ulster Rifles. Following Churchill's call to form a "butcher and bolt" raiding force following the evacuation of Dunkirk, Mayne volunteered for the newly formed No. 11 (Scottish) Commando. He first saw action in June 1941 as a lieutenant with 11 Commando during the Syria–Lebanon Campaign. Mayne successfully led his men during the Litani River operation in Lebanon against Vichy French Forces.
After the war he returned to Newtownards to work first as a
solicitor and then as Secretary to the
Law Society of Northern Ireland. He suffered severe back pain which prevented him from even watching rugby as a spectator. He rarely talked about his wartime service.
On the night of Tuesday 13 December 1955, after attending a regular meeting of the Friendship Lodge, Mayne continued drinking with a masonic friend in the nearby town of Bangor, before making his way home in the early hours. At about 4am he was found dead in his
Riley roadster in Mill Street, Newtownards, having reportedly collided with a farmer’s vehicle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Mayne
Also on this headstone his sister -
Major Frances Eleanor Mayne.
Born 24th December 1910 High Street Newtownards.
Daughter of William and Margaret Boyle Mayne.
Sister to Lt Colonel Robert Blair (Paddy) Mayne 1st S.A.S. (S.R.S.) DSO (3bars).
Francie enlisted on the 5th July 1940 with the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) she seen service with the 51st (Ulster) Anti-Aircraft Brigade Royal Artillery and served throughout the war years reaching the rank of Major. She reenlisted after the war and served with the newly formed Women’s Royal Army Corps.
Her pre-war occupation was a kindergarten teacher and her family home was at Mount Pleasant Newtownards.
After her military service, she returned to full time teaching at the Friends school Lisburn, Regent House and Stranmillis she retired at the age of 60 and passed away in 2009 at the age of 89.
On permanent display at War Years Remembered, history shared is history saved and Together We Will Remember Them.
Above information credited to - War Years Remembered - Facebook
