Chatham and the Battle of Trafalgar
Chatham and the Battle of Trafalgar
Every October, the Royal Navy honours Admiral Lord Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar with a tradition-filled dinner.
Trafalgar Night
This annual dinner is a night of celebration to commemorate victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Every year on October 21st, the night is marked in Royal Navy Officer Mess Decks and Wardrooms throughout the country and on Royal Naval vessels serving overseas.
The evening follows several traditions every year:
Port accompanies the evening’s two toasts; the first is made by the Vice-Chair of the evening and proposes a toast (whilst everyone remains seated) to the reigning Monarch. The second toast is made by the Principal Guest, who leads tributes to the ‘immortal memory of Admiral Lord Nelson’ that honours the sacrifice made by Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar. This second toast is made standing and in complete silence.
One of the more light-hearted traditions of the night is parading the beef. The menu for the evening follows tradition with the main course consisting of beef. Before it served, however, the beef is carried at shoulder-height through the room. On occasion the parade is even accompanied by a drummer.
Following the main course, comes the dessert in the shape of chocolate galleons. These Ships of the Line are also paraded through the room before being enjoyed by those attending the dinner.
Ships of Trafalgar
Chatham is closely associated with the Battle of Trafalgar, as the Dockyard is the home to HMS VICTORY.
VICTORY was ordered in 1758, and the keel was laid on July 23, 1759. After nearly six years of construction, she was launched on May 7, 1765.
Between 1800 – 1803, the ship returned to Chatham for what is now known as the “Great Repair”. The rebuild was so extensive that it was nearly a complete reconstruction, costing over £70,000. The refit prepared her for active service, and she left from Chatham in 1803 as the ship that would become Lord Nelson’s flagship two years later.
VICTORY was not the only Trafalgar battleship to be built at Chatham. TEMERAIRE (1798), LEVIATHAN (1790), and REVENGE (1805) were all built at Chatham Dockyard.
