Rev Gav

Trafalgar Day

Introduction

Each year I am asked to lead a short act of worship to celebrate Trafalgar Day at The Bermuda Sailor’s Home. So, for history buffs, I thought I would post my contribution here:

History

As part of Napoleon’s plans to invade England, French and Spanish fleets combined to take control of the English Channel and provide the Grande Armée (Ark-hmee) safe passage. The allied fleet, under the command of French Admiral Villeneuve, sailed from the port of Cádiz (Cadeeth) in the south of Spain on 18 October 1805. They encountered the British fleet under Admiral Lord Nelson, recently assembled to meet this threat, in the Atlantic Ocean along the southwest coast of Spain, off Cape Trafalgar. Nelson was outnumbered, with 27 British ships of the line to 33 allied ships including the largest warship in either fleet, the Spanish Santisima Trinidad. To address this imbalance, Nelson sailed his fleet directly at the allied battle line’s flank, hoping to break it into pieces. Villeneuve had worried that Nelson might attempt this tactic but, for various reasons, had made no plans in case this occurred. The plan worked almost perfectly; Nelson’s columns split the Franco-Spanish fleet in three, isolating the rear half from Villeneuve’s flag aboard Bucentaure (Boo san tour). The allied vanguard sailed off while it attempted to turn around, giving the British temporary superiority over the remainder of their fleet. The ensuing fierce battle resulted in 22 allied ships being lost, while the British lost none. The tactic exposed the leading ships in the British lines to intense fire from multiple ships as they approached the Franco-Spanish lines. Nelson’s own HMS Victory led the front column and was almost knocked out of action. Nelson was shot by a French musketeer and died shortly before the battle ended. Villeneuve was captured along with his flagship Bucentaure (Boo san tour). He attended Nelson’s funeral while a captive on parole in Britain. The senior Spanish fleet officer, Admiral Federico Gravina, escaped with the remnant of the Franco-Iberian fleet (a third of what it had been in number of ships); he died of wounds sustained during the battle five months later. The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century, and was achieved in part through Nelson’s departure from prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy.

Reflection

It seems that those that achieve success in life are often those that do things differently. Nelson chose to depart from prevailing naval tactics and I wonder what his sailor’s thought. I expect there were those that blindly followed him, but I expect, too, there were those that grumbled, moaned, and begrudgingly went along with Nelson’s plan. In life, when those of us break from convention, because we have a vision for how things could be, there will be those that follow and those that resist. If Nelson had sat down and had a committee meeting to hear everyone’s point of view, to engage in a consultation process, and to create small working groups to review the plan and provide feedback, well, I dare say he would have lost the battle! Today, what are the battles we face? We live in a world that will be changing dramatically over the next 25 years. Our battle may not be with an armada of Spanish and French ships, but with the imminent danger of climate change. You will encounter visionaries – people determined to take on this battle — and their methods will be different and unconventional. Will we go into battle with them, stand alongside them, and support them, or will we grumble, moan, and hold them back? Friends, the day will come when you have to make some big decisions and I pray that we, like Nelson, will be courageous, bold, and brave.

Prayer

May the great God, whom I worship, grant to my country, and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory: and may no misconduct, in anyone, tarnish it: and may humanity, after victory, be the predominant feature in the British fleet. For myself, individually, I commit my life to him who made me and may his blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my country faithfully. To him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Now, may we splice the mainbrace, upon issue over which propose a toast: “To the immortal memory of Horatio Lord Nelson and, with the help of God, may we divide and conquer that which is before us.”