21st October 1805 - Battle of Trafalgar

[Deportivo Seagull]

For any ex Matelot's on Trafalgar Day

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more to this wonderful year;
To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

(Chorus sung once...)
Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,
we always are ready; Steady, boys, steady!
We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.


We never see the French but we wish them to stay,
They always see us and they wish us away;
If they run, we will follow, we will drive them ashore,
And if they won't fight, we can do no more.

(Chorus sung once...)


They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes,
They frighten our women, our children and beaus,
But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er,
Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.

(Chorus sung once...)

[Verse sometimes omitted]
Britannia triumphant, her ships sweep the sea,
Her standard is Justice—her watchword, 'be free.'
Then cheer up, my lads, with one heart let us sing,
Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, and king.

(Final Chorus sung twice...)

 

[Norman Potting]

We won by the way.

 

[daveinprague]

A mate of mine and myself were running from the Gibraltar police... and we were succeeding as they were in a Ford Anglia... we reached a low wall with what look like bushes behind it.... mate was tired, and announced, ..im going to hide behind this bush... jumped over the wall and realised the bush was the top of a tree, and plummeted 30 odd feet down thru the branches into the graveyard of the Trafalgar men who died in the battle. If he hadnt, I probably wouldnt have even noticed the place. Police actually caught me, as I was crumpled up on the floor laughing till tears ran down my face andcouldnt understand why I thought being caught was so funny. My mate was drunk...didnt even break a single bone in his body.

 

[severnside gull]

England expects.............................

 

[Barry Izbak]

Inspired by this I may have to pop in The Battle of Trafalgar and the Lord Nelson for a swift half today on the way back from the ticket office.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

We used to celebrate Trafalgar Day at school. Inspiring but sadly inappropriate teacher called Mr Macintosh was an inspiring history teacher who took Battle of Britain Day, Trafalgar Day and many others very seriusly. Was a great teacher.

I'll raise a glass at lunchtime. Here's to a past to inspire us and a future to be proud of.

 

[severnside gull]

Inspired by this I may have to pop in The Battle of Trafalgar [/I]and the Lord Nelson for a swift half today on the way back from the ticket office.

Glad to hear it's still open - used to be my regular for a tipple after work many many years ago

 

[Martinf]

Check out how many of your ancestors fought at the BOT (just type your surname into the box). Just checked and 19 of mine were involved in the tear up - including one who died during the Battle serving on HMS Victory. Doesn't say how he died but knowing our lot was probably pissed on too much rum and fell overboard.

The National Archives | Trafalgar ancestors

 

[RNSeagull]

I think they'll be minimal celebrations onboard my ship (Ark Royal) tonight for some reason! I'll have a pint anyway though!

 

[daveinprague]

I was on the old Ark... hurts a bit when the ship that replaced my ship that was too old...is deemed to old... that makes me...very old.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Shockingly quiet in The Battle of Trafalgar this lunchtime.
It was the ideal place for lunch I thought.

 

[Pavilionaire]

What a shit song. I prefer:

"Josephine's a slapper
She'll sink to her knees and blow
And when she's shagging Boney
She thinks of Horatio!..."

 

[Pavilionaire]

Check out how many of your ancestors fought at the BOT (just type your surname into the box). Just checked and 19 of mine were involved in the tear up - including one who died during the Battle serving on HMS Victory. Doesn't say how he died but knowing our lot was probably pissed on too much rum and fell overboard.

The National Archives | Trafalgar ancestors

Interestingly, there were 7 other men named Nelson in the battle...

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I love the Battle of Trafalger, harveys and a good selection of pub snacks and bar food. Not as hip as Great Eastern or the Basketmakers but not as pretentious either.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

We used to celebrate Trafalgar Day at school. Inspiring but sadly inappropriate teacher called Mr Macintosh was an inspiring history teacher who took Battle of Britain Day, Trafalgar Day and many others very seriusly. Was a great teacher.

I'll raise a glass at lunchtime. Here's to a past to inspire us and a future to be proud of.

Ah.... Brighton College

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Check out how many of your ancestors fought at the BOT (just type your surname into the box). Just checked and 19 of mine were involved in the tear up - including one who died during the Battle serving on HMS Victory. Doesn't say how he died but knowing our lot was probably pissed on too much rum and fell overboard.

The National Archives | Trafalgar ancestors

Just one..... Landsman on the HMS Revenge... from Kent no less.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I think they'll be minimal celebrations onboard my ship (Ark Royal) tonight for some reason! I'll have a pint anyway though!

Remember how I felt when I left the Hermes when she paid off, wasn't even shipscompany but had spent many a happy time on her during various detachments

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Ah.... Brighton College

He was a bloody good teacher. Just a bit odd.

 

[Collar Feeler]

Aye shippers, Hearts of Oak and all that. Many fond memories of Traf night at sea including one particularly bumpy crossing of the Bay of Biscay onboard the last HMS Birmingham (D86) during which I was alternately drinking tins of Red Death and spewing them back up shortly after. God I was sick that night!!