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LOUIS, 1st EARL MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA

Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon. Lord Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George MOUNTBATTEN, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, ADC(P), FRS, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma - was born on 25th June 1900 at Frogmore House, on the Windsor Castle estate, Berkshire, England, the youngest child and second son of Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon. Sir Louis Mountbatten, GCB, GCVO, KCMG, ADC(P), 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, formerly HSH Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854-1921) and HGDH Princess Victoria of Hesse & By the Rhine, VA (1863-1950) – a granddaughter of the great Queen-Empress, HM Queen Victoria(1819(1837-1901).

Louis, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
(1900-1979)

Mountbatten’s father had joined the British Royal Navy in 1868 following being made a naturalised British subject and rose through the ranks, being referred to by Admiral of the Fleet Sir John “Jackie” Fisher, GCB, OM, GCVO, 1st Lord Fisher (1841-1920) as “the most capable administrator in the Admiralty’s list by a long way”. In 1911, Mountbatten’s father was appointed as Second Sea Lord and was responsible for pushing through many improvements in working conditions for enlisted men. Just one year later in 1912, Mountbatten’s father assumed the post of First Sea Lord - following the early retirement of Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, GCB, GCVO (1848-1929) due to ill health.

In 1914, Mountbatten himself attended the Royal Navy College, Dartmouth – and with his father as First Sea Lord, Mountbatten had a naval career full of promise. Despite his clear abilities and allegiance to the British Crown – especially with all the strategic preparations for an inevitable war with the German Empire, Mountbatten’s father was resented and viewed with suspicion by growing anti-German hysteria, which resulted in his resignation as First Sea Lord on 27th October 1914.

The Union leader - J.H. Thomas (1874-1949) wrote to The Times -

“I desire to express my extreme regret at the announcement that Prince Louis of Battenberg has, by his resignation, pandered to the most mean and contemptible slander I have ever known … I was simply astounded to hear the base suggestions and rumours current, and I am afraid that his action will simply be looked upon as a triumph for the mean and miserable section of people, who, at a time of national trial, is ever ready to pass a foul lie from lip to lip without a tittle of evidence.”

The traumatic and unjust treatment of Mountbatten’s father was to be a catalyst of Mountbatten’s drive and success and started a personal campaign to restore honour to the Battenberg family. He became a Midshipman in the Royal Navy in 1916 – and so a glorious career began and Mountbatten saw service during World War I (1914-1918) on board HMS Lion, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HM Submarine K6.

The Battenbergs -
shortly after Mountbatten’s birth

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