Trafalgar Day 2014

This is the famous phrase that Nelson signalled to his fleet from the HMS Victory before the Battle of Trafalgar was about to take place on the 21st October 1805 - Source

Happy Trafalgar Day! Today, on the 21st October, it is 209 years since the Battle of Trafalgar took place between the British fleet and the combined French and Spanish fleets. Most people know about this event due to the British Vice-Admiral being Lord Horatio Nelson. Every year the Navy traditionally celebrates Trafalgar Day by having a memorial service and laying a wreath in memory of those who did not survive the battle.

Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson in his full-dress uniform - the hero of Trafalgar. He died from a musket ball during the battle at Trafalgar in 1805 - Source

Because of Nelson being such a celebrity, there is a lot documented about the battle. Even his flagship, the HMS Victory, still remains a popular site to visit in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. If you make your way down to Portsmouth, England, make sure to visit both the HMS Victory and the National Museum of the Royal Navy in order to get the full experience.

The HMS Victory - flagship of Lord Nelson. Now a museum ship at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, UK - Source

Trafalgar Day is not just celebrated by the British, but in other countries as well. In the Australian town, Trafalgar, they hold a celebratory re-enactment of the battle every year. Since I work in the Dockyard, I see people coming from all over the world with different interests in the subject. Some have ancestors who were present at Trafalgar during the battle in 1805, and others have collected objects that relate to the event. It is always great to hear stories, so I really recommend you to speak to the museum staff if you pay us a visit, since we can give you some interesting bits that you won't find on the information boards in the museum.

L