One of the main contributors to the museum/website has been my good friend Godfrey Dykes or Jeff for short. His knowledge of all things Royal Navy and especially the Communications Branch is second to none and he and his website (Godfrey Dykes) have always been my first point of call when undertaking some research. Many of these snippets are the product of his diligent research over many years and he has kindly agreed to transfer many of his web pages to us. Those pages which are the result of his research and investigation are annotated with 'Written by Godfrey Dykes'. The left hand photo is 'Jeff' as HMS Mercury's Standing Officer of the Watch in 1980. The right hand photo (showing Beryl and Jeff outside one of the garden doors to Broadlands) was taken a week after the Royal Ceremonial Funeral of Lord Mountbatten in mid-September 1979. Lord Mountbatten's grandson and wife, Lord and Lady Romsey, had invited Beryl and Jeff to Broadlands to thank him for his services at his grandfathers funeral. Beryl and Jeff took afternoon tea with them and they were very kind with an unhesitant open friendliness which made their day. Lord Romsey was very impressed that Jeff had been Prince Charles’ instructor ashore in the signal school and also at sea in HMS Jupiter, and had met Lord Louis on several occasions as one of his meeters and greeters party on his regular visits to HMS Mercury, chiefly for Signal Officers reunion dinners. After Lord Louis’ death, Lord Romsey became the owner of Broadlands at Romsey in Hampshire. He is now the 3rd Earl Mountbatten, the second Earl being appointed personally in continuation by HM The Queen, breaking all traditions, when Lord Louis’ eldest daughter Patricia was appointed to be the Second Countess Mountbatten of Burma after her long time deceased mother Edwina – died 21st February 1960. The second Countess died on the 13th June 2017 at her house in Mersham Kent aged 93, at which time Lord Romsey assumed his mother's title as the 3rd Earl with his wife as the 3rd Countess.
