After leaving the Admiralty, Battenberg was repeatedly told that the Royal Navy might recall him during the war or give him a post afterward. He therefore declined company directorships and other paid work that might compromise his availability. No command followed, and the loss of income contributed to the financial pressure that forced him to sell Kent House in 1919. The episode shows the personal cost of keeping an experienced officer nominally available while denying him a role.
Notable Point · 36:52-38:47
Kept available for service, but given no command
The promise of a possible wartime recall kept Battenberg from outside employment, yet the Navy gave him no command and left him under growing financial strain.