England Expects

Today is the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. Outside of the UK it is somewhat insignificant, yet to Britons – particularly those with a seafaring background, it is highly significant.

In 1805, the Royal Navy had been blockading the French and Spanish ports, thereby preventing Napolean Bonaparte from invading Britain. Napolean ordered his fleet, at anchor in Cadiz, to sail out to Trafalgar and engage the Royal Navy. Admiral Villeneuve, commanding the combined French and Spanish fleets had already suffered humiliating defeat at the battle of the Nile earlier that year. There are those revisionists who would belittle what happened at Trafalgar, citing this earlier defeat of the French fleet, arguing that it was a spent force and therefore insignificant. However, they miss the point that had Trafalgar not happened, the Franco Spanish fleet would have enabled that invasion – without the fleet, such invasion plans were scuppered.

Despite poor winds, effectively becalming both fleets, Nelson’s ships cut in a zig-zag across the Franco Spanish fleet, initially providing the usual broadside approach before sailing across the enemy’s bows, firing another broadside into the stern of the preceding ship. This meant they could fire their guns with little return fire while causing maximum damage to the enemy. They then turned forward, sailing alongside the crippled enemy ship to deliver a broadside to finish the job. Despite heavy loss of life, not one British ship was sunk. The enemy was devastated, lying in shattered hulks about them. It was Trafalgar that established the Royal Navy’s supremacy at sea for nearly 150 years. Napolean lost control of the seas at Trafalgar and with it, plans of world domination. Control of the seas in 1805 was much like control of the air in 1940. Whoever had it was destined to triumph.

Nelson died at the moment of his greatest triumph and remains a national hero to this day. A flawed man who followed his own instincts. A man who believed in things like duty and honour. Old fashioned concepts, maybe. But it is we who are poorer without them.

Here’s to Admiral Lord Nelson.