Battenberg, Prince Louis of. (1854-1921). Born, Graz, Austria. Naturalised British subject, on entry into the Royal Navy, 1868. Prince Louis served as Director of Naval Intelligence (1902), and, consecutively, rear admiral, vice admiral, commander of part of the Home Fleet (1910), Second Sea Lord (Chief of Naval Personnel), 1911, and then First Sea Lord, 1912. At the order of Winston Churchill, Prince Louis retained the fleet's reserve ships at full readiness after the test mobilisation of July, 1914. He was forced to resign on 29 October 1914, as a result of a surge in British anti-German sentiment, thus losing one of the most effective officers of the Royal Navy at a critical moment. Prince Louis relinquinshed his German titles in 1917, and took the surname Mountbatten, and was created 1st Marquis of Milford Haven.
AJP
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