To try a select the most famous and brave military persons in recent history is inherently an arbitrary, very difficult, and controversial task. However, most military historians would agree that the British Special Air Service Regiment would rank very near the top for candidates.
Within its ranks there are three soldiers who certainly deserve consideration as the most famous and courageous in modern times. Rather than rank the individuals, they will be listed in chronological order.
Lieut-Colonel Robert Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne, DSO w/4 bars
The Irish Lion. Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, DSO w/4bars. Lieutenant-Colonel 'Paddy' Mayne is a legendary figure in the history of the Special Forces. A celebrated sportsman with a turbulent character, he played a vital role in the early successes of the Special Air Service (SAS), becoming one of its most important commanders., capped for Ireland and the British & Irish Lions at rugby union, lawyer, amateur boxer and a founding member of the Special Air Service. For his action in Germany, Mayne was recommended for the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry. This was later downgraded to his fourth Distinguished Service Order. should have had the VC, but he beat up too many officers over the years. The powers that be, didn't want anyone emulating him. He was also decorated by France the Legion of Merit. In North Africa Paddy Mayne personally destroyed 100 German aircraft (confirmed, all on the ground). Here are his medals. One of only seven men in history to win the DSO four times.
Believe it or not there is a connection between "Paddy" Mayne and one of the predominant themes of this blog. One of the early themes of the second generation of King and Country toy soldiers/military miniatures was the WWII British Eighth Army and Special Air Service Regiment. Obviously included in the series was the founder Lieut-Colonel David Sterling, and the following portrait figure of "Paddy".
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Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba, BEM, MID
At the height of the communist rebellion in Oman, the British sent a detachment of 9 SAS soldiers to the key port of Mirbat, with orders to train local soldiers and defend the region. The SAS were based at the British Army Training Team (BATT) House, a large fortified building inside an open compound bordered by barbed wire, with a single 25 pounder artillery piece in a dug in position near the BATT building and a forward defensive picket a mile from the BATT building, manned by local Oman army guards.
Mirbat Fort, British army training team HQ.
At 05:00 on 19 July, 1972, a large force of 300 communist insurgents attacked and swiftly overwhelmed the forward picket position at Mirbat and killed the Omani Gendarmerie guards. At this point, SAS Captain Mike Kealy, became aware that something was afoot and ordered his small team of SAS soldiers to take up defensive positions, manning the roof and entrances, before radioing the British for reinforcements.
The British training staff at Mirbat included 9 SAS soldiers, most of them veterans, a handful of British intelligence officers and a small complement of Oman Gendarmerie.
As the sun came up, Captain Kealy could see hundreds of guerrilla insurgents surrounding the SAS position and clambering over the barbed wire fencing. Unfortunately the 9 SAS soldiers only had rifles which didn't have the range to engage until the enemy got closer, their one browning machine gun opened fire.
SAS Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba volunteered to man the 25 pounder gun outside, Laba ran 200 hundred meters from the SAS position to the artillery piece and jumped into the gun pit, taking cover behind sandbags. Sgt Labalaba wasted no time loading and operating the large gun, which normally required 6 men to operate. He began laying down devastating shells onto the waves of communists charging towards the SAS position, all the while the remaining 8 SAS soldiers provided a cross fire from the fortified building and roof, accurately laying down supporting fire with their SLR rifles and one heavy machine gun.
After an hour of continually reloading and firing the gun alone, Sgt Labalaba radioed Captain Kealy to report that he had been hit by a bullet and needed help. Mike Kealy wasted no time and sent Labalaba’s fellow countryman, trooper Takavesi to aid him, when Takavesi reached his friend he found Labalaba bleeding profusely from a head wound, but still operating the gun at almost a round a minute. Trooper Takavesi who had medical training, quickly bandaged Labalaba, before taking up a position and covered Labalaba, accurately tapping away with his SLR rifle at the wave of insurgents rapidly approaching.
"So we set about taking them out. The group in front were hit. The line faltered and collapsed. Wave upon wave of them were advancing, grabbing at the barbed perimeter wire with bare hands, while Labalaba was blasting them into oblivion." - Trooper Takavesi.
For two and half hours, Sergeant Labalaba held his position outside the Mirbat building, against hundreds of guerrilla insurgents, with his Fijian countryman and friend he fought, as dried blood and sweat matted his hair and beard, staining his clothing, he continued to battle.
Eventually the main gun ran out of shells and Labalaba picked up his SLR rifle, throwing a few mags to his friend Takavesi, they both defended their little fort made of sandbags, desperately firing at point blank range as waves of communists closed on them
When Labalaba began to run low on ammo, he attempted to recover a nearby weapon, he asked Takavesi to cover him and quickly made his move… Takavesi later said that while he was covering Laba, who bravely tried to recover the weapon, they glanced at each other, when their eyes met, it was like Laba knew something was about to happen, then suddenly Laba was shot in the neck and dropped dead.
Sadly reinforcements and air support arrived not long after Labalaba died, and with that, the remaining insurgents fled. From the bodies recovered, it's estimated that over half the enemy number died, with more being wounded and taken from the battlefield. Most were killed by SAS Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba.
When 9 SAS soldiers defeated 300 insurgents and secured the independence of Oman. 3 SAS operators died at Mirbat, including Sgt Labalaba.
"Labalaba was a bear of a man. When he was fully tooled up, he was the original Rambo. They wanted to give him the Victoria Cross, but because the war was a secret in 1972 no one received any major decorations." - SAS Trooper Takavesi.
The statue of SAS Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba,
outside Fijian Airport
Staff Sergeant John Thomas “Mac” McAleese, MM
McAleese is one of the most famous and decorated British Army soldiers of all time. He successfully led the team of SAS operatives known as “blue team” into the famous Iranian Embassy siege, called Operation “Nimrod”. This was the operation that made the SAS the household name they are today. He was even spotted live on television on the first-floor balcony of the embassy, at the moment he places an explosive charge on the door. It was moments before they stormed the building on 05 May 1980. Later on in his career he served in the Falkland War in 1982, and received the Military Medal in 1988. He received most of his fame when he told his life story on the TV Show “SAS: Are you tough enough?”. He was well known for his trademark moustache and was later recognized as the legend of the World’s special forces. The show was aired on British television and gained much success.
