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Earl Mountbatten of Burma has played a leading role in many of the great events of this century. As last Victory of India, Supreme Commander South East Asia and as a member of the Royal Family Lord Mountbatten has a unique view of our times. From his vast collection of photographs. Lord Mountbatten has made a personal selection which provides a pictorial record of an extraordinary career.
He was born into the Victorian world and the first photograph shows him on the knee of Queen Victoria who was his godmother and his great-grandmother. This world was soon to be shattered by the Great War in which he served as a midshipman. Then followed the Russian Revolution and the deaths of his close relations, the Russian Imperial Family with whom he had spent many happy holidays.
Better times followed when he accompanied his cousin and great friend, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), on two world tours visiting New Zealand. Australia, the West Indies. Japan and Imperial India.
It was during World War II that he became known to a much wider public, first as Captain of the renowned HMS Kelly, then as Chief of Combined Operations responsible for planning the invasion of Europe and later as Supreme Commander South East Asia. Having presided over the surrender of the Japanese at Singapore he and Lady Mountbatten returned home as war heroes. Then as last Viceroy of India and its first Governor-General he played a critical part in the momentous events surrounding the birth ot independent India and Pakistan.
In 1955 Lord Mountbatten achieved his great ambition and became First Sea Lord. This was the first time a father and son had both held the highest appointment in the Royal Navy and both were appointed by Winston Churchill.
In recent years he has continued to travel extensively. He has taken an active interest in many charitable organizations especially in international education and continues a lifelong connection with the world of entertainment through the Variety Clubs International.
There is, as Lord Mountbatten writes, great pleasure to be had from leafing through a family album. Turn these pages and you will be taken on a journey through the twentieth century that no other can rival.
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