Louis Mountbatten

Biography
Captains full name: James, Charles, Louis, Earl Mountbatten

Rank Held in the squadron: Master

Career: Navy-Officer

Age of joining the Navy: 16

Current Age: 37

Reason for joining the RN: To bring glory to the Crown, fame, prestige and power to the family of Mountbatten and of course for the prizes !

Sum up your captain’s personality and traits:

Captains Quote: "Sailors, with their built-in sense of order and discipline, should really be running the world"

Your captains aims and goals: To contribute to the considerable prestige of SGS, by continuously improving myself as a player and as a person. Possibly even make myself known, if not as a good player, but surely as an honourable one

Friends and Family
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Record of Achievement

 * November 18th 1720 - Discharged from the Squadron
 * December 23th 1720 - Readmitted to the Squadron
 * '''May 8 1721        - Promoted to Master after completing patronage

Background Story
1685-1696 Born as James, Charles, Louis, Earl Mountbatten in the Mountbatten family estates in the Broadlands. The single descendant of an admittedly priviledged and prestigious family, Lord Louis had a childhood full of wealth and priviledge and he was educated by the best tutors his father's wealth could afford. From an early age he showed an affinity for mathematics and the intricacies of spherical trigonometry. He also expressed an interest in the workings of shipbuilding and of course, sailing.

Plagued by the curse of most noble born, he was overshadowed by the reputation of his father, a retired admiral as well as his grandfather, the famous pirate hunter whose exploits won him the hereditary title, Louis sported. In the mind of the young lord, this title should be earned and diserved, otherwise it should be discarded ! He was an earl by inheritance and not by valour...hence his decision to join the newly established Royal Naval College at Greenwich

1696-1700 The young Lord excelled in every subject, in every paper, in every practical and theoretical problem presented to him. However...there was one subject that the Royal Navy demanded absolute excellence on...and that was discipline. Indeed Louis could not be disciplined. His priviledged upbringing did not prepare him for "orders" and "punishment" and "chores". He was used to giving the others, administering punishment and of course, "chores" was an ever unheard word. Indeed there was an incident with a Post-Captain, Naval History instructor at the college who was always presenting Louis with interesting strategic problems which Louis deemed beneath him to solve since this instructor was someone who was not noble born, but promoted from the ranks...through great valour however. He thought that someone whould not challenge the superior mind of a lord !

This presented the administration of the college with a problem. Duty and discipline are the foundation of the Royal Navy and Louis did not know that discipline was even more important than duty, even if duty was etched in his mind due to his upbringing. The son of a prominent lord, he could not be dismissed from the school. But he also could not be transfered to a prestigious front line ship of the line as his first post, since these ships won their battles by discipline ability and valour. Our young lord had the two last but not the first needed ingredient. And they reached the decision to assign him as a midshipman, to learn discipline under the strictes of captains...on a ship that did not sail...the HMS Berwick being rebuilded at Deptford at the time. What a humiliation...for the lord's pride. A ship that did not see combat. And if the chores for a Midshipman are hard when at sea...well...when in a shipyard they are enormous.

It was then when Louis understood the reason behind this tranfer. Preparing a ship for battle was a difficult task, while NOT being in danger was a humiliating prospect. And he understood that his teachers devised this punishment to hone his ability for administration...and also...teach him humility. realising that fact, Louis, with newfound determination excelled in the administrative duties he was assigned to perform, while being tought humility. And just before the onset of winter 1702...his Captain approached Louis and informed him that NOW...he earned the right to serve with the sea under him.

1702-1709 The HMS Incomparable was a 4th rate ship of the line and Louis served there as a Midshipman untill 1703 and from then as 3rd lieutenant until 1709. During these years, Louis showed gallantry and valour in various actions against pirates as well as against the ever annoying French navy. His captain never failed to commend him in his reports to the Admiralty...reports that figured nicely in the Naval Chronicle, at a time when the Royal Navy has again resorted to pressing in order to recruit. Louis Captain was then promoted to Admiral and was granded the age old privilege of promioted admirals. To promote a Midshipman To Lieutenant...and a Lieutenant to Commander... and Louis was made Master and Commander, captain of the brig HMS Thunderous.

1709-1716 Thunderous was a ship designed for speed and infiltration. Many a pirate stronghold was underminded at walls by well executed land actions led by the now famous commander and his crew. many a pirate prize was taken even against all odds. And it was after one such battle when Louis met his wife to be. A visiting niece of the governor of Georgetown was taken captive when the ship transporting her was captured by the French pirate Francois L'Ollonais. After a desperate cat and mouse hunt, the Terrible was captured and a heart was won ! Admiration transformed to affection...affection to deep friendship...and deep friendship to love. And a marriage ceremony took place at Portsmouth. This was pure luck for Louis who was to be beached...and on half pay at Portsmouth...since piece was dawning... Alas, the couple's happiness was not to last more than a year. Duty comes first...and orders come quick and swift...

1717-1720 Louis, as a fluent French speaker and due to his aristocratic upbringing, a well versed economist was the ideal spy for England ! He was transfered to Le Havre in France to pose as a merchant while actually evaluating French naval strength, procedures, discipline, resources. This was a trying time for Louis who was away from Britain, away and far from his wife and newborn son...And that is when an interesting dispatch arrived whic when decoded, yelded the following words...:

"Cease operations immediately. Liquidate all assets. Reinstation imminent. Awaiting presence for receipt of new orders"

A month after receipt of this cryptic letter, Lord Louis presented himself at the office of the First Sea Lord James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley to receive orders, which then and now, considers the culmination of his career. The First Sea Lord announced to Louis that war with the French and Spanish was again brewing...and his intention of forming an elite squadron of naval officer commanders, charged with the expansion of the King's interests in the caribbean. This squadron would be known as Saint George Squadron Of The White and would have its own financial support by secret freetrader agents, a clandestine arm, formed by privateers and of course the King's utmost support.

Louis, Earl Mountbatten was now...home. --Louis mountbatten 19:25, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

Ships and ship history

 * Served aboard:

HMS Achilles - 20-gun Postillionen class frigate. Commissioned: February 16th, 1719.

HMS  Incomparable  - 64-gun 3rd rate ship of the line. Commissioned: September 8th 1702

HMS  Thunderous  - 18-gun brig. Commissioned: February 13th 1709

HMS HMS Berwick' - 70-gun 3rd rate ship of the line. Commisioned: December 24th 1700



DISCLAIMER: All resemblance to living or non-living persons is taking place purely for participating in the online game called Pirates Of The Burning Sea and "role playing activities" meaning the assumption of the role of an actual or fictional historical (or otherwise) persona for entertainment "in context". This is also done as a tribute to the real Mountbatten family who still exists today encapsulating and encompassing the great histories and traditions of the British Royal Navy