Special Forces Brothers in Arms: Eoin & Ambrose McGonigal: War in the SAS & SBS

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I first came across the bravery of Ambrose McGonigal and his younger brother Eoin two years ago while researching the life of the legendary SAS officer, Lieutenant Colonel Blair “Paddy” Mayne, DSO & three Bars. Mayne is arguably the bravest man never to be awarded the Victoria Cross and, had he enjoyed a more conventional career, that decoration might well have been bestowed upon him. But that’s another story for another day. Like the Celtic warriors of old, Paddy had a penchant for listening to music and poetry during war, and so he strapped a record player to his leg while parachuting into occupied France. By demolishing 47 planes in one sitting, moreover, he may have even surpassed the record of Britain’s top flying ace. These include an unshakable judge of character, audacity by the boatload, preternatural strength, and grit.

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The A Word: Ending explained and everything you need to know about the BBC drama ahead of spin-off Ralph and Katie release At the outbreak of the second World War, Mayne received a commission in the 5th Anti-Aircraft Battery, in April 1940 joined the Royal Ulster Rifles and following Dunkirk volunteered for the 11 (Scottish) Commando. Despite ominous stormy weather forecasts, David Stirling, the unit’s headstrong leader decided to go ahead with a parachuting mission behind enemy lines.After leaving school, both also seemed set on law careers. Ambrose initially attended Queen’s University in Belfast (QUB) where in his own words, he spent “two inglorious years” studying for an arts degree – before enrolling at King’s Inns in Dublin with the aim of becoming a barrister. In fact, both brothers only managed to complete a year’s legal study before war broke out in September 1939, when Ambrose was aged 21. He also plays Sayed in The State and Usman Abboud in the BBC Two series Industry. Paul Boche will play Walter Essner in SAS Rogue Heroes

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Macintyre concedes that “killing highly trained pilots was, arguably, an even more effective way of crippling enemy airpower than destroying the planes themselves”. Bloodlands season 2 ending explained: What happened in the finale of the James Nesbitt police drama?Ambrose, having carried out multiple coastal raids with the Commandos and winning two Military Crosses, later led operations for the SBS in Yugoslavia and Italy. Post-war, he had a short but notable legal career as a Lord Justice of Appeal in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles.