Lord Louis Mountbatten
By Illa Vij

A MAN with a dogged determination and remarkably gifted with intelligence, grit and foresight Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India. The job he is most remembered for is the granting of Independence to India.

Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Battenberg was born to Prince Louis and Princess Victoria, on June 25, 1900, at Fragmore Lodge in Windsor. His father (who had been disinherited by his own father) had left his native Germany as Prince of Batenberg, to become a British subject and a naval officer. When the anti-German sentiment was at its peak, the family changed its name to the transliteration Mountbatten and Prince Louis was titled Marguis of Milford Haven. This title was then passed on to Louis Mountbatten’s elder brother.

Naturally Lord Louis had the best of education and he joined the Royal Navy, like his father. He studied at the Royal Naval College in London. He married a pretty heiress, Edwin Ashley. He wasn’t much of a sports- man but he took up polo. Initially his friends would laugh at him but he did not give up. Soon he mastered it.

He made slow motion pictures of the best players and studied them and practised till he attained perfection. He even published a book Introduction to Polo. His life at sea brought him great laurels. He exhibited immense grit and courage on numerous occasions. He was appointed Commander at the age of 32 and everyone could foresee his bright career. His exceptional performance and service with the ship Kelly earned him the D.S.O. and was later immortalised in the film In Which We Serve.

During World War II, he commanded the destroyer Kelly from 1939 to 1941. German bombers sank the ship in May 1941, in the battle of Crete.

The survivors along with Louis, clung to the wreckage for four hours before they were rescued. When he flew back home, with a heavy heart, he was asked to take command of the aircraft-carrier Illustrious. But even before he could take charge his appointment was cancelled and he was given an appointment which was secret in nature. He led a secret task force against the Germans in Europe.

In 1943, he was given the command of the Allied forces in south-east-Asia. He led the re-conquest of Burma and Peninsular Malaysia from Japan. He was sent to India as Viceroy when he was still in his forties. He was instructed to hand over power to the Indians by 1948. On arrival he realised that the date was too late and it had to be done immediately. After serious talks with Nehru and Jinnah, India was given Independence on August 15, 1947. There was ill-will among the British residents but Lord Mountbatten did what was apt. At the request of the newly formed Indian Government, Mountbatten became the first Governor General and held office till June, 1948. Then he returned to his naval duties. He became Commander-in- Chief of the Allied forces in the Mediterranean in 1953, and First Sea Lord in 1955.

Then in 1959, he became the Chief of United Kingdom Defence Staff and Chairman of the Chiefs-of-Staff Committee. He retired in 1965. In 1979, he was killed when a terrorist group seeking Northern Ireland’s independence from the United Kingdom bombed his fishing boat off the coast of Ireland. He is still fondly remembered in his country and India too.