Tuesday, 24th October, 1978 Earl Mountbatten of Burma visited South Tyneside to take part in 40th anniversary celebrations of the launching of the destroyer HMS Kelly built at the Hebburn shipyard of Hawthorn, Leslie & Co in 1938.

Lord Louis commanded the famous HMS Kelly during the Second World War. The ship was commissioned in August, 1939, helped to sink a U-boat on the second day of the war and shortly after was chosen to sail to Le Havre on a secret mission to bring the Duke and Duchess of Windsor back to Britain.

May, 1940, the Kelly, immortalised in the film ” In Which We Serve” was torpedoed by German E-boats in the North sea and was towed back to the Tyne listing heavily and decks awash. After repairs she returned to action in the Mediterranean.

During the Reception and Luncheon in the Town Hall, Lord Louis met some of his surviving shipmates. (Although now all in their late seventies I had the distinct feeling that if he had said “let’s go to sea” they would have followed.)

I was commissioned by South Tyneside Council to produce something that would depict the involvement Lord Louis had with the town and it’s people. I spent many hours researching, checking and cross checking the facts as I had been told that he was a stickler for detail. When he was presented with the picture he examined it closely, then turned to me and with a warm smile said “Very well done.” Small prints were given to each of the Kelly veterans to commemorate the occasion.

Sadly, Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed eight months later by an IRA bomb aboard his yacht in the Republic of Ireland.

Bobs Original Invite: