Timothy Knatchbull - From a Clear Blue Sky

Review by Maggie Perkovic on show 16th Sept 2010
FROM A CLEAR BLUE SKY BY TIMOTHY KNATCHBULL THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND VERY TOUCHING BOOK WHICH RELATES FROM VERY PERSONAL & WHOLLY EMOTIVE POINTS OF VIEW BY TIMOTHY KNATCHBULL, THE SURVIVING TWIN OF THE TRAGEDY WHEN MOUNTBATTEN AND HIS FAMILY WERE BLOWN UP BY MEMBERS OF THE PROV IRA ON AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY 1979.
WE LAUGH SOMETIMES OVER HERE WHEN PRINCE CHARLES VISITS AND POLICE AND DIVERS CHECK THE BOATS ETC BUT MY GOODNESS AFTER READING THIS, I APPLAUD THEIR CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ROYAL TARGETS.
MOUNTBATTEN HIMSELF REALISED THE POSSIBLE DANGER BUT WAS REASSURED BY THE GUARDA OF THE CONSTANT WATCH ON THE HOUSE AND THEIR CARS BUT SOMEHOW THE BOAT WAS NOT CONSIDERED SO VULNERABLE. WHY?? MAYBE THE FACT THAT THERE WAS USUALLY A YOUNG IRISH MEMBER OF STAFF ON BOARD, IN THIS CASE, 15YR OLD PAUL MAXWELL, WHO CHECKED OIL,DIESEL & SO ON. MOUNTBATTEN LIKED TO STEER THE BOAT HIMSELF.
ON THIS MORNING LIKE MANY OTHERS ON HOLIDAY, HIGHTIDE WAS AT 8.30, THE PLAN WAS TO LEAVE AT 10.15 BUT IT WAS AFTER 11am WHEN THEY DID, THE BOMB WAS WET IN THE CABIN AND WATCHING ON THE CLIFFS WERE THOSE WHO WERE TO DETONATE IT BY MOBILE PHONE.
THEY MUST HAVE SEEN THE PARTY ON BOARD, LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, LADY BRABORNE THE OTHER GRANNY ON DECK, LORD AND LADY BRABORNE, HER SON AND DAUGHTER IN-LAW WITH HER, THE TWINS NICHOLAS AND TIMOTHY, ONE ON THE POOP DECK THE OTHER CHECKING SOMETHING IN THE CABIN, PLUS YOUNG PAUL MAXWELL POSSIBLY IN THE CABIN TOO, WHILE TWIGA A SMALL DASCHUND. ONLY THE WATCHERS MUST HAVE WAITED TIL THE BOAT WAS IN DEEPER WATER, POSSIBLY TO ENSURE DEATH BY BOMB OR DROWNING.
WHEN THE BOMB WENT OFF COMPLETE SHOCK WAS THE FIRST RESULT THEN ALL THE LITTLE LOCAL AND HOLIDAY BOATS RUSHED TO THE RESCUE. AS THE BOAT WAS PRACTICALLY DESTROYED, BODIES ALIVE AND DEAD HAD TO BE DRAGGED INTO THEIR LITTLE CRAFTS AND ALL EFFORTS COMBINED IN A HEARTRENDING AND DESPERATE MEASURE TO BRING SUCCOUR TO THE LITTLE FAMILY.
MOUNTBATTEN WAS KILLED OUTRIGHT, ELDER LADY BRABORNE DIED LATER THAT NIGHT, PAUL MAXWELL AND NICHOLAS KNATCHBULL WERE FOUND LATER IN THE WATER. TIMOTHY, HIS MOTHER AND FATHER WERE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AND TOOK MANY MONTHS TO RECOVER.
THE SHEER COURAGE AND STIFF UPPER LIP SHOWN BY ALL THE SURVIVORS IS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE POINT OF THIS BOOK TO ME BUT HAVING SAID THAT, TIMOTHY HAD TO GO BACK AS AN ADULT. HE WAS 14 AT THE TIME OF THE BOMB. TO ACTUALLY COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT HAPPENED, TO FIND OUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ALTHOUGH HAPPILY MARRIED AND SUCCESSFUL IN HIS LIFE HE NEEDED TO SPEAK TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED AND FINALLY TO FACE THE FACT OF HIS TWIN DYING AND HIM SURVIVING.
THE FACT THAT THE GUARDA HAD ARRESTED TWO SUSPICIOUS MEN IN A CAR NOT THEIRS ON THE NIGHT BEFORE AND IN FACT HAD THEM IN CUSTODY IS TRAGIC AS THEY HAD IN FACT PLANTED THE BOMB BUT KEPT QUIET UNTIL IT WENT OFF.
THE FACT THAT A FEW WEEKS BEFORE A SMALL PACKAGE HAD BEEN FOUND UNDER THE FLOOR BOARDS OF THE BOAT 'SHADOW V' WAS SORT OF IGNORED. THE FACT THAT AN IMPORTANT FIGURE LIKE MOUNTBATTEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED SO EASILY HAS, I HOPE, MADE IT SAFER FOR ALL OUR ROYAL PERSONS IN FUTURE.
THIS STORY IS VERY MOVING INDEED. THE QUEEN IS SHOWN TO BE VERY KIND AND LOVING TO THE FAMILY AS SHE BRINGS THEM TO BALMORAL TO RECOVER. THE INJURIES THAT THE SURVIVORS SUFFERED WERE INDEED HORRIFIC BUT THE COURAGE , THE BRAVERY, THE SPIRIT THAT ENABLED THEM TO LEARN AND FORGIVE, TO HEAL AND TO MOVE ON IS TRULY INSPIRING.
THERE ARE SOME LOVELY PHOTOS OF THEM AT THEIR IRISH RETREAT, CLASSIEBAWN CASTLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE DAY THEY LEFT WITH ALL THE FAMILY, FAMILY MEMBERS AND STAFF ALL SMILING AND HAPPY LITTLE KNOWING WHAT LAY AHEAD.
I SO ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK AND ADMIRED THE COURAGE AND STOICISM OF THE UPPER ECHELON OF SOCIETY WHILE DEPLORING THE NEEDLESS CARNAGE OF THOSE WITH A GRUDGE AGAINST WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THEIR JUST CAUSE.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
review by Maggie(VL)

show 16th Sept 2010

Guests this week were: Maggie (Vera Lynn)Perkovic & Ro(Guru)Bennett.
Books under the mic were:
FROM A CLEAR BLUE SKY : SURVIVING THE MOUNTBATTEN BOMB
by Timothy Knatchbull. One review said" Classiebawn is a focus of much of the family interaction and, of course, where the fateful fishing expedition set out from. It is an historic symbol of repression and colonialism but this is lost on the author whose bewilderment at the attitude of many of the locals betrays an astonishing ignorance of their historical, political and economic divide".
Maggie totally disagreed with this comment and said it was clear from the book that the author and Mountbatten clearly did understand!
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
West End Girls by Barbara Tate (couldn’t help but break into song with the title of this book as it was a song by the Pet shop Boys) one reviewer said "This book will make you laugh out loud and cry in parts, but it fills you with admiration at the strength of the human spirit".
U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
Also laughed at the 'Stella Awards' which aren't for lager but for the daftest law suits to be granted.