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Mountbatten, Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas

Date of birth:
June 25th, 1900 (Frogmore House, Windsor)
Date of death:
August 27th, 1979 (Near County Sligo, Ireland)
Buried on:
Graves Westminster Abbey
Nationality:
British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Biography

Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, first Count Mountbatten of Burma, PC (Privy Council) was born on June 25, 1900 in Windsor Castle and lost his life in a bombing attack by the IRA on August 27, 1979 in the Bight of Sligo, Ireland. He was an Admiral of the Fleet, vice-Roy of India and the first Governor General of India after its independence and chief of the General Staff of the United Kingdom from the noble family of Battenberg. He was an uncle of Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1979 he and 3 others fell victim to a bombing attack carried out by a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
Mountbatten's role during WW 2 and in particular during the transition to independence of India and Pakistan is subject to discussion by his entourage and in the public sector. His career, led by the PR had a massive influence on his comtemporaries.
During WW 2 he was in command of the destroyer H.M.S. Kelly; he was famous for his courageous and daring actions which were also included in the propaganda movie "In which we serve" by director Noel Coward. He was appointed Chief of Operations in October 1941. His work entailed planning military strategies for the liberation of continental Europe. In January 1942, as Chief of Combined Operations, he was ordered to launch an attack on the coastal town of Dieppe in northern France which was occupied by the German 302. Infanterie-Division. This attack, codenamed Operation Jubilee was launched on August 19, 1942, resulted in massive losses and is generally considered a failure. Eventually, lessons were learned from this failure (See Operation Overlord). The reasons for this failure were poor planning, little know-how and numerous wrong estimates of the British commander.
Between 1943 – 1945 Mountbatten was Supreme Commander Allied Forces in Southeastern Asia (SEAC) where he held an important position in the Burma campaign. In recognition of his achievements, in particular as Supreme Commander Allied Forces Southeast Asia, he was appointed Viscount Mountbatten of Burma and was granted a seat in the House of Lords. The same year he was admitted into the Order of the Garter, the only British admiral of WW 2 to be given that honor.
Louis Mountbatten was killed by an IRA bomb while sailing near his holiday Home in County Sligo, Ireland.

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Awarded on:
October 15th, 1920
Member of the Royal Victorian Order
Awarded on:
July 18th, 1922
Knight/Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (K(D)CVO)
Awarded on:
1924
Ordinul Coroana Romaniei Mare Cruce
Awarded on:
January 1st, 1929
Commander to the Venerable Order of Saint John (CStJ)
Awarded on:
January 29th, 1937
Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)
Awarded on:
1937
Ordinul Steaua Romaniei Grand Cross
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Captain
Awarded on:
June 18th, 1940
Knight/Dame to the Venerable Order of Saint John (KStJ/DStJ)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Captain
Awarded on:
August 9th, 1940
Mentioned in Dispatches
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Captain
Awarded on:
January 1st, 1941
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Captain
Awarded on:
March 21st, 1941
Citation:
"For good services and devotion to duty."
Mentioned in Dispatches
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Admiral
Awarded on:
April 10th, 1945
Commander of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB/DCB)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Rear-Admiral
Awarded on:
April 28th, 1942
Maritime War Cross - 2nd Class
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1943
Legion of Merit - Chief Commander (LoM - CC)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Admiral
Awarded on:
April 10th, 1945
Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Grand Cordon (1st Class)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Admiral
Awarded on:
October 9th, 1945
Distinguished Service Medal - Army (DSM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1945
Grand Croix de l' Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Admiral
Awarded on:
November 5th, 1946
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Rear Admiral
Unit:
Royal Navy
Awarded on:
October 18th, 1946

Royal decree no.13
Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw - Ridder Grootkruis (NL.1)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
December 3rd, 1946
Order of the Garter
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1946
Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
1946
Nepal Tara 1st Class
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
1946
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant
Period:
After War Period (1945-now)
Awarded on:
1952
Kungliga Serafimerorden
Period:
After War Period (1945-now)
Awarded on:
1955
Grand Cross of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB)
Period:
After War Period (1945-now)
Awarded on:
1962
Storkors af Dannebrog
Period:
After War Period (1945-now)
Awarded on:
July 16th, 1965
Order of Merit
Period:
After War Period (1945-now)
Awarded on:
1965
Grand Cross to the Order of Solomon's seal

Sources

  • - The London Gazette Issue 34878 published on the 21 June 1940
    - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 34918 published on the 9 August 1940
    - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35029 published on the 31 December 1940
    - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35113 published on the 18 March 1941
    - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35538 published on the 24 April 1942
    - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37023 published on the 6 April 1945
    - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37023 published on the 6 April 1945
    - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37299 published on the 5 October 1945
    - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37777 published on the 1 November 1946
    - The Dutch Medals Page
    - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37807/supplement/5945