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Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: HMS Victory at Trafalgar
Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: HMS Victory at Trafalgar
Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: HMS Victory at Trafalgar
Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: HMS Victory at Trafalgar

Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: HMS Victory at Trafalgar

Associated (Frogmore House, Windsor, England, 1900 - 1979)
DateMay 2004
Object NameMedal
MediumSterling Silver
ClassificationsMedals
AcquisitionPresented in 2004 by Dr Joan M Burrell.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS072500.37
About MeFor over two years before Trafalgar was fought, HMS Victory had been Nelson's stately home. Built in 1756 at the time of the Seven Years War, the ship was forty years old when she led Nelson's line on 21St October, 1805 against the French and Spanish Combined Fleet under Villeneuve. He died of a bullet wound received during the battle, and his body was brought home to be buried at St Paul's amid universal mourning.

Nelson had taken a leading part in four successive victories, though not always in chief command. These were St Vincent {1797); the Nile {1798); Copenhagen {1801); and Trafalgar. He was indeed, as a companion-in-arms aptly described him, a 'heaven-born' admiral, the pre-eminent exponent of tactical skill at sea.

The Victory, which is still in commission at Portsmouth as the flag-ship of the Com- mander-in-Chief, had flown the flag of a succession of great admirals, including Kempenfelt, Howe, Hood and Jervis. After Trafalgar, she was sent to the Baltic where she became the headquarters of Sir James Saumarez, who had been Nelson's second in command at the Nile. She continues to be an object of pilgrimage and is visited each year by nearly half a million people of all nations.

The Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea, John Pinches Medallists Ltd.