- Author
- Newspaper, Daily Mirror (UK)
- Subjects
- 19th century wars
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- September 2005 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Ten facts about the Battle of Trafalgar:
– The youngest sailor to fight at Trafalgar was just 8 years old.
– The oldest was 68.
– A woman called Jane Townshend was onboard one of the ships at Trafalgar and was recommended for a medal for “useful services”.
– Arctic explorer John Franklin fought at Trafalgar (as a lieutenant).
– Nelson originally wanted “Nelson confides every man to do his duty” displayed as a signal to all ships, but his Signal Lieutenant, John Pascoe, said it would be easier to spell out “expects”.
– Midshipman John Pollard is famed as “the man who shot the man who shot Nelson”.
– One sixth of the Royal Navy’s entire force of 110,000 men fought in the battle.
– Nearly 4,000 of the crews had never been to sea before.
– There were 3,500 Irishmen fighting in the British side at Trafalgar.
– There are records of Chinese, African and American men in the British crews.
(Daily Mirror (UK) – 2005)