Prince Philip: Bromsgrove batman recalls navy service

Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten pictured in 1947, shortly after his time with Jim Bent at HMS Glendower

The Duke of Edinburgh's former batman, who served him in the Royal Navy, said he was a brilliant man to be with.

After World War Two, Prince Philip was stationed at the Butlins camp in Pwllheli which was then known as naval camp HMS Glendower.

During that time, Jim Bent, 92, from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, said he served as his batman.

He said he remembered the duke ripping his trousers and he had him bent over while he sewed them up.

He and the duke got on "exceptionally well together", Mr Bent said.

Jim Bent joined the navy aged 17

Mr Bent said he served under the duke at HMS Glendower from May to July 1946

"I joined the Navy when I was 17 to avoid waiting until I was called-up because at that particular time the war in Europe was coming to an end and they didn't want any more sailors and soldiers and they were sending everybody down the mines and I didn't want to go down the mines," Mr Bent said.

Due to his experience in the Sea Cadets, Mr Bent was made class leader.

"The class leader's duties was to look after the divisional officer, first class, and the divisional officer in my case was Lieutenant HRH Prince Philip of Greece, and that was how we met," he said.

Because he had been in the Sea Cadets, Mr Bent was made class leader of his division

Mr Bent said the duke was "a brilliant chap to be with" who "liked a bit of fun".

"Any orders he made, I had to carry them out to the men," Mr Bent said.

But he said there were also a lot of "peculiar things" that happened, including one time when the duke was running late, and chose to take a short cut over a barbed wire fence, ripping his trousers.

"I had him bent over in the office sewing them up, which was quite an experience as you can well imagine," he said.

Mr Bent, pictured on his 90th birthday, turns 93 on Wednesday

Mr Bent's daughter, Sally Findon, said he has "lots" of stories about his time with the duke.

"He spent a few months with him as his batman and they got up to quite a few things," she said.

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