2nd Clarinet
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Trafalgar Day21st OCTOBER - TRAFALGAR DAY
Trafalgar Day is the celebration of the victory won by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson's British fleet over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.
The Battle of Trafalgar ended the threat of invasion by France and established British naval supremacy for the next century.
Britain did not lose a single one of its 27 battleships, though 449 of its 17,000-strong force were killed -- including Nelson himself -- and some 1,200 wounded, while 18 out of 33 opposing vessels were destroyed.
French fatalities topped 3,000 and Spanish losses more than 1,000 with combined injured of around 1,600.
Brief History
It was widely commemorated by parades, dinners and other events throughout much of the British Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Its celebration declined rapidly after the end of the First World War in 1918.
The massive casualties and upheaval had changed the general public perception of war as a source of glorious victories to a more sombre view of it as a tragedy, for which the newly instituted Armistice Day on 11 November was felt more appropriate.
2005 was the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, and the Royal Navy led Trafalgar 200 celebrations.
The International Fleet Review, the first since Her Majesty The Queen's 1977 Silver Jubilee, was held off Spithead in the Solent on 28 June.
The victory is celebrated each year in the Australian town of Trafalgar, Victoria in which the small town of 2,200 hold an annual Battle of Trafalgar Festival with the Trafalgar Day Ball held on the Friday or Saturday closest to 21 October each year.
Sea cadets of the united kingdrom also celebrate this day with usually a parade of a town.
Nelson's death cast a shadow over his victory, but it ensured his legendary status in Britain.
He was given a state funeral and in death, Nelson became glorified as one of Britain's greatest national heroes and a giant column topped with his statue forms the centrepiece of London's central Trafalgar Square that was for years the focus of Trafalgar Day celebrations.
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townsergeant
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I've just returned from the Association of Men of Kent & Kentish Mens' Trafalgar Day Commemoration Service at St George's Church, Deal, where I played the Last Post & Reveille.
Saw a few old faces down there, including Larry Andrews.
Incidentally, my Great Great Grandfather was born in 1805.
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2nd Clarinet
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Well done, Billy........
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Wolfy
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| townsergeant wrote: | | Incidentally, my Great Great Grandfather was born in 1805. |
Was that five past six at night? 
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townsergeant
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| Wolfy wrote: | | townsergeant wrote: | | Incidentally, my Great Great Grandfather was born in 1805. |
Was that five past six at night? |
There's always one......and you're both of them! 
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lesbryan
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I have just got in from a small meeting of our division to commemorate .the great achievement of admiral lord Nelson a few tots were sunk as we toasted the immortal memory of Lord Nelson .A few more will be sank tonight as well!!
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lesbryan
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lesbryan
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[quote="lesbryan"] | lesbryan wrote: | | I have just got in from a small meeting of our division to commemorate .the great achievement of admiral lord Nelson a few tots were sunk as we toasted the immortal memory of Lord Nelson .A few more will be sank tonight as well!! |
How can anyone say it was a tragedy (it was a tragedy of war so many lives lost etc)It was a decisive battle that secured the security of Britain for many more years to come .If it had gone the other way it would have been the same for them .We always have a little do as stated above .We toast the immortal memory as i say we will get together again tonight.It was a battle planned with guile and the utmost thought for his men.That is why he is in the annals of history as the greatest commander ever known
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Mr Bass Trombone
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Been so busy of late it is time I had a liitle catch. 21st October 1805 Trafalgar, 21st October 2008 AGM Royal British Legion Branch Roquetas De Mar Spain hence me being busy a Chairmans life is not happy one. I did mention Trafalgar in my comments and after it was all over an ex matelot who was on the Indifat during the latter stages of the war and a bootneck(nice chap really) and a
merchant seaman and I DID take a few drops of Nelsons Blood and toasted The Imortal Memory. Up Spirits and up and at em Chatem.
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charles laws
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I had the pleasure of joining on the 21st Oct 1952, so I never forgot the date I joined. I also had the pleasure of the Navy water polo team coming up with the saying Nelson said kiss me Charlie and not Hardy.
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Eric Hayward
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Yes Trafalgar Day has fond memories for me too. I, along with 32 others were with Charlie on that day in 1952. After a career that then spanned forty years bar ten weeks I would do it all again given the oportunity. The good times were good. The bad times, well, we survived didn't we.
Bill Hartland was another of our squad and I'll be catching up with him in March '09 at our Ozzie reunion in Adelaide. How many others of our group are still around?
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admin
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1952... I was born 64 and the youngsters who are joining up now make me feel old!
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