The Mammoth Book of How It Happened: The Battle of Trafalgar: Over 50 First-Hand, Minute-By-Minute Accounts of the Greatest Sea Battle in History

The Battle of Trafalgar, 21st October 1805, is a now legendary day in the great age of fighting sail. It proved one of the most strategically significant victories of all time and set the seal on British supremacy at sea which lasted until the age of air power.

At Trafalgar, England’s hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, vanquished the combined naval might of France and Spain, and destroyed Napoleon’s fleet so decisively that there was no question of continuing the war at sea. Bloody and confused, 60 great line-of-battle warships, carrying English, American, Irish, Spanish and French seamen fought for many hours amidst choking fumes, fire and shot, cannon balls and flying splinters, below and above decks. Around 8,500 men died or were severely wounded. Towards its end, Nelson famously met his death on the quarterdeck of the Victory.