03 SEP 2023
A tribute & memorial website to honour​ - Lord Louis MOUNTBATTEN, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
27 AUG 2009
"FROM A CLEAR BLUE SKY"
Memoirs of The Hon. Timothy Knatchbull
In his book of memoirs about Mountbatten's assassination, his grandson - The Hon. Timothy Knatchbull (b.1964), son of Patricia, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma (b.1924) and John, 7th Lord Brabourne (1924-2005), delves into his past, present and future, and reveals a story of courage and fortitude as he, his family and their English and Irish friends dealt with the murders of 27th August 1979 and their aftermath. His book gives a compelling insight into that period of Irish history, but more importantly it brings home that although tragedy can strike at any moment, the human spirit is able to recover and evolve over time.
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The book is about truth and reconciliation, unflinching in its detail, asks searching questions about why human beings inflict misery on others, and holds lessons about how we can learn to forgive, to heal and to move on. It is a powerful survivor's account of the IRA bomb that killed the author's 14-year-old twin brother, his grandparents and a family friend, and was published in August 2009 - on the 30th anniversary of the atrocity.
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The Hon. Timothy Knatchbull at a book signing
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ABOVE: Mountbatten at
Classiebawn Castle, Mullaghmore,
Co. Sligo, Ireland - with his
twin grandsons: Nicholas & Timothy
RIGHT: An article from
'The Irish Times' from 2011 about
Timothy's book winning the
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Memorial Prize
BELOW: Christopher Ewart-Biggs,
the British Ambassador to Ireland
(1921-1976)
The book was the shared winner of the 2011 Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize - founded by Jane Ewart-Biggs, The Baroness Ewart-Biggs (1929-1992) in memory of her late husband - Christopher Ewart-Biggs (1921-1976), the British Ambassador to Ireland who was himself was murdered by the IRA just twelve days into his posting. The Prize (which has a grant of £7,500) was established to promote peace and reconciliation in Ireland, a greater understanding between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Ireland, or closer co-operation between partners of the European Community. It is awarded to a book, a play or a piece of journalism that best fulfils this aim, published during a two-year period up to 31st December of the year preceding the year in which the prize is awarded.
To visit the Christopher Ewart-Briggs Memorial Prize website, which includes a clip of an interview by Timothy Knatchbull - click HERE
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