Paddy Mayne cover art

Paddy Mayne

Lt Col Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, 1 SAS Regiment

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Paddy Mayne

By: Hamish Ross
Narrated by: Alan Turkington
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £13.99

Buy Now for £13.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

‘Paddy' Mayne was one of the most outstanding special forces leaders of the Second World War. Hamish Ross's authoritative study follows Mayne from solicitor and a rugby international to troop commander in the Commandos and then the SAS, whose leader he later became and whose annals he graced, winning the DSO and three bars, the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d'Honneur.

Mayne's achievements attracted attention, and after his early death legends emerged, based largely on anecdote and assertion. Hamish Ross's closely researched biography challenges much of the received version, using contemporary sources, the official war diaries, the chronicle of 1 SAS, Mayne's papers and diaries, and a number of extended interviews with key contemporaries. It has the support of the Mayne family and the SAS Regimental Association.

In Ross's analysis Mayne is a dynamic, yet principled and thoughtful man, committed to the unit's original concepts; not flawless, but whose leadership qualities and tactical brilliance in the field secured the reputation of the SAS.

©2011 Hamish Ross (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd
Great Britain Military World War II War England
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

2SAS cover art
SAS Great Escapes cover art
SBS cover art
The Unlikely Duke cover art
1971 cover art
Britain's Secret Defences cover art
The War to End All Wars cover art
Cinderella Boys cover art
Eye of the Storm cover art
Red Devils cover art
Winkle cover art
Shoot to Kill cover art
SAS cover art
Charles Darwin cover art
Churchill's German Army cover art
Siege at Jadotville cover art

What listeners say about Paddy Mayne

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    50
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    44
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    52
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and well balanced book. Excellent

Great book, marred only slightly by the occasional mispronunciation or silly error by the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A straight forward description of a true Hero

It was so refreshing to have a balanced and honest description of a hero that needs no embellishment.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

At last his story is properly told.

I can't recommend this book highly enough it is gripping, honest, well written and most importantly it tells the true un-embellished story of a truly great man and leader of men. I couldn't watch or read the rubbish that has been written in books or the awful TV show about the origins of the SAS because it always seemed to ring false. At last there has been an autobiography that reflects the true nature of Robert Blair Mayne, it has been a long time coming and had to be done right and this author hit the bulleye!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What stood out was the truthful story telling

I watched and read tales of Paddy Mayne. And the truthful telling and debunking of myths does nothing to diminish the stature of the man. Great read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible story

Excellent narration of an incredible leader of soldiers and key founders of the SAS known today.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Paddy Mayne

The guy is a real-life superhero. It's hard to believe that this guy was real.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sets the record straight

A very well researched book which debunks many of the myths surrounding Mayne. However, it is not wholly objective and contains some conjecture where records or personal memories are lacking. The prose is quite dense and fact heavy so not a light listen. My only quibble is with the delivery, some pronunciations were incorrect, most notably of Montevideo which was mispronounced until fairly near the end of the book when the correct English language pronunciation is adopted. However, this is a minor issue when set against the author's and narrator's combined achievement of delivering Paddy Maynes amazing story. Well worth the 1/2 credit I paid.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

superb account with arguably the best leader of the second world war

very well narrated and gives accurate information, for once on 'Sir' Paddy 'VC' 👏

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Really enjoyed this book. Great to understand a bit about the real man. So glad he was on our side

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Listen

The real story of a great man in difficult times, without the embellishments. A must listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!