“The Immortal Memory” : Nelson’s Coat from the Battle of Trafalgar On this day, 21 October 1805, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson led the Royal Navy to what is probably its most famous victory, the Battle of Trafalgar. But it came at the highest personal cost. The coat pictured, now preserved at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, was worn by Nelson aboard HMS Victory during the battle. Look closely, and you’ll see a small, hole on the left shoulder. That mark was made by the musket ball fired by a French marine from the Redoutable. It struck Nelson around 1:15 p.m., passed through his shoulder and spine, and lodged in his lower back. He was carried below decks, where he would die a few hours later, learning before he died that his fleet had triumphed against the Franco‐Spanish fleet. Nelson’s death sent shockwaves across Britain. Trafalgar ensured British naval dominance for a century, but it also transformed Nelson from a national hero into an immortal legend. The phrase “The Immortal Memory” is still toasted by the Royal Navy. (📸Photo my own, Marcus Cribb)