• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Naval Historical Society of Australia

Preserving Australia's Naval History

  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Show Search
  • 0 items
Hide Search
Menu
  • Home
  • Research
    • Where to start
      • Research – We can help!
      • Self help
      • Naval Service Records
      • Library
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Resources
      • Articles
      • On This Day
      • Podcasts
      • Videos
      • Australian Military Ship Losses
      • RAN events on a  Google Earth Map
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Other
      • Newsletters: Call The Hands
      • Occasional Papers
      • Books
      • HMAS Shropshire
      • Book reviews
    • Close
  • Naval Heritage Sites
    • World Heritage Listings
      • Cockatoo Island
    • National Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites
      • HMVS Cerberus
    • Commonwealth Heritage Listings
      • Garden Island NSW
      • HMAS Watson
      • HMAS Penguin
      • Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW
      • Chowder Bay Naval Facilities
      • Beecroft Peninsula NSW
      • Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications
      • HMAS Cerberus
      • Naval Offices QLD
      • Garden Island WA
      • Royal Australian Naval College ACT
      • Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT
    • NSW Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Rushcutter
    • Close
  • Tours & Cruises
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, East
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, West
    • 81st. Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack
    • Tour of Sub Base Platypus
    • Garden Island Dockyard Heritage Tour
    • Garden Island Northern Hill and Garden Tour
    • Tour Bookings
    • Close
  • About us
    • About Us
      • What we do
      • Our People
      • Office Bearers
      • Become a volunteer
      • Our Goals and Strategy
    • Organisation
      • Victoria Chapter
      • WA Chapter
      • ACT Chapter
    • Close
  • Membership
  • Shop
  • Become a volunteer
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / The True Story of Nelson’s Famous Signal

The True Story of Nelson’s Famous Signal

Baker, K.G. · Dec 29, 1995 · Print This Page

Author
Baker, K.G.
Subjects
History - general
Tags
Battle of Trafalgar, Signals
RAN Ships
None noted.
Publication
December 1995 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

It was a little before 12 o’clock on the morning of Trafalgar that Nelson directed his famous signal to be made. The VICTORY was at the time about a mile and a half from the enemy’s line, slowly forging ahead on the faint breeze, under every sail that could be set. On the flagship’s quarterdeck, Nelson and Captain Blackwood, the officer commanding the frigate squadron, were walking together, watching the long straggling array of French and Spanish ships as they slowly drew across the course of the British line.

Presently Nelson asked Captain Blackwood what he would consider a victory. “If fourteen of the enemy are taken,” was the reply. “I shall not be satisfied,” rejoined Nelson, “with less than twenty.” Then after a short pause during which the Admiral seemed to be musing, he turned to his companion again, “Don’t you think,” he asked, “It seems that a signal is wanting?”

“No my Lord,” Blackwood answered, “I think nothing more is needed; the whole fleet seems to understand what we are about.” But the Admiral had already made up his mind, and turning to walk along the quarterdeck, he stepped up the poop ladder to where the Flag Lieutenant, John Pasco, who was in charge of the signal department, was standing.

What passed, Lieutenant Pasco has told. “His Lordship,” he related, “came to me on the poop, and after ordering certain signals to be made about a quarter to noon, said, “Mr. Pasco, I want to say to the Fleet, ‘England confides that every man will do his duty.’ He added, “You must be quick, for I have one more to add, which is for close action.” I replied, “If your Lordship will permit me to substitute ‘expects’ for ‘confides’, the signal will soon be completed, because the word ‘expects’ is in the vocabulary and ‘confides’ must be spelt. His Lord ship replied in haste and with seeming satisfaction, “That will do, Pasco, make it directly.”

The flag code for Nelson's signal at Trafalgar
The flag code for Nelson’s signal at Trafalgar

The immortal message then went up, in twelve separate hoists, Lord Nelson’s word being rendered according to Sir Home Popham’s Telegraphic Code – which had been supplied to the fleet as an experiment – with the numerical flags of the Admiralty official Day Signal book (the 1799 issue then in use).

As the last hoist was hauled down, Lord Nelson, who had meanwhile returned to where Captain Blackwood was standing exclaimed: “Now I can do no more. We must trust to the Great Disposer of all events and the justice of our cause. I thank God for this great opportunity of doing my duty.” When the Admiral’s message, “had been answered by a few ships in the van,” says Lieutenant Pasco, “he ordered me to make a signal for “Close Action” and to keep it up. Accordingly, I hoisted No. 16 to the main topgallant mast head and there it remained until shot away.”

It is noteworthy, by the way, how Nelson in each of the three actions in which he held chief command made No. 16 – “engage the enemy more closely”, his special battle signal. With No. 16 at the VANGUARD’s main topgallant mast head he triumphantly led his “Chosen Band” at the Nile. It was No. 16 that at Copenhagen he bade his signal officer – after he himself put his telescope to his blind eye and jocularly declared that he could not see Sir Hyde Parker’s permissive signal to discontinue the action – to “keep flying” and to “nail to the mast”.

Now finally he “sailed to imperishable glory in the VICTORY with the same No. 16 once more hoisted aloft.”

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Naval Historical Review, History - general Battle of Trafalgar, Signals

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Latest Podcasts

  • The Case of the Unknown Sailor
  • Night of the midget subs — Sydney under attack
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 1
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 2
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 3

Links to other podcasts

Australian Naval History Podcasts
This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre

Life on the Line Podcasts
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories.
These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher.

Video Links

  • Australian War Memorial YouTube channel
  • Royal Australian Navy YouTube Channel
  • Research – We can help!
  • Naval Heritage Sites
  • Garden Island Dockyard Heritage Tour
  • About us
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Facebook

  • Facebook
  • Members Area
  • Privacy Policy
  • Log Out

Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Copyright © 2023