One of the world's most famous ships, the flagship of the world's most famous admiral and a key player in one of the world's most important sea battles... But what few people realise is that she was already an 'old lady' by the time of Trafalgar and had narrowly escaped being scraped on several occasions. And, perhaps even more incredibly, that 200 years later she is still on the books as a working, commissioned warship.

From Construction to Commissioning

Late in 1758, the Admiralty decided to have 12 new ship-of-the-line¹ built, amongst which would be a new 100-gun 1st Rate - to be named HMS Victory. The name itself caused quite a few problems as the previous vessel of that name had sunk with all hands some 14 years previously. An interesting coincidence was that just 12 weeks earlier, a child had been born to the Rector of Burnham Market in Norfolk - Little did anyone at the time know of the future of the baby, little Horatio Nelson.

Shortly afterwards the chief shipwright of Chatham dockyard in Kent received a letter from the Admiralty, instructing him to:

...make preparations for a first rate ship of 100 guns, to be built and fitted out for sea at Chatham...

At the time England was at war against France, Russia and Austria, fighting alongside Prussia in what would later be known as The Seven Years War. However, as the war progressed, it became clear that necessary funds were not available, so, in 1761, work on the hull ground to a halt.

However, a year later work restarted, and on May 7, 1765, after six years work, the felling of some 6,000 mature oak trees and the expenditure of around £63,000, she was finally launched.

Unfortunately, the War against France was now over and the Navy had no need of a new Ship of the Line. So the Victory found herself 'placed in reserve', unfinished and unwanted.

Ten years later, in 1775, came the American War of Independance, and by the next Spring the Admiralty had ordered that the Victory be completed and prepared for sea. By March 1778 she had her first captain² and a month later set to sea for the first time.

She then spent a further month gathering together a crew (mostly from pressgangs in the Shearness area) and finally sailed with her full complement aboard on May 8, 1778 - thirteen years after being launched.

After a further two months of trials and workups she finally entered active service flying the flag of Admiral Keppel - the commanding officer of the Channel Fleet.

Early Service

The First Battle of Ushant

Her first experience of battle came in July 1778. Still under the flag of Admiral Keppel and leading the 30-strong Channel Fleet, the Victory sighted the French fleet off Ushant in France. Despite orders to avoid contact with the British, the French admiral (Le Comte d'Orvilliers) found himself cut off from his own ports by the British Fleet and battle was inevitable. In terrible conditions, with heavy wind and rain, the Victory managed to open fire on two French ships, causing minor damage. However, the rearguard of the British fleet, under Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, became separated from the main body, giving the French fleet the opportunity to escape back to port during the night.

The indecisive nature of the battle itself, with both sides claiming victory and no ships sunk on either side, created a rift between the two British admirals, which rapidly blew up into a full-scale political row.

The problem started with an anonymous letter was printed in a British newspaper accusing Palliser, who in addition to being a Vice Admral, was also Member of Parliament for Scarborough, of disobeying orders during the battle. Palliser demanded that Keppler take back the accusations, which Keppler then denyed ever making.

This dispute then escalated, with comments being made that had the battle been won then it would have driven a wedge between the Americans and French allies. Keppel was court martialed for his part in the battle in January 1779 for "Misconduct and Neglect of Duty" - a charge carrying the death penalty. Despite the fact that Keppel was cleared of all charges and acquitted by the court martial, his faith in the Admiralty had been completely destroyed and he requested that he not be sent back to sea. The admiralty then retired him, triggering a mass resignation by a large number of officers and collegues, greatly weakening the Royal Navy during its ongoing fight against America and France.

The Second Battle of Ushant

In 1781, this time flying the flag of Richard Kempenfelt and leading a small force of 12 ships-of-the-line, an obsolete 50-gunner and five frigates, the Victory intercepted a French convoy heading for the West Indies.

Through a stroke of fortune and excellent seamanship, Kempenfelt was able to board and capture 15 French merchantmen before the vastly superior French escorting fleet of 21 ships-of-the-line were able to engage him... Foiled by gale force winds, the French men-of-war were helpless and had to look on helplessly whilst Kempenfelt made off with his prizes.

After this battle, Victory was handed over to Admiral Howe and served as his flagship during the relief of Gibraltar (beseiged by the Spanish). However, by 1782, the fighting against America had all-but finished and the Navy had no need of many of its ships and men. So, she was returned to England and remained 'in reserve' in Portsmouth dockyard for 8 years.

Back to Work

On July 14, 1789 a rumour spread around Paris that troops were going to be sent in to break up the newly formed National Assembly. Shortly afterwards a large mob attacked the Bastille prison and armoury and the French Revolution was underway.

England once again found herself at war with the French, and quickly started to re-arm - re-calling Naval Officers who had been languishing ashore on half-pay for years and re-fitting the rotting hulks of their fleet.

The Victory was one of those ships to be saved by these events, and, in 1792, she took her place in the fleet once again, flying the flag of Admiral Sir Samuel Hood in the Mediterranean. She would spend the next 6 years in those waters, flying various admirals' flags and participating in a number of skirmishes and blocades.

Cape St. Vincent

Intro - Jervis - evacuation of Corsica

Fleet sizes - Contact made - Dates

The Engagement - Nelson's role

Damage - Aftermath

"Unfit for Service"

Hospital Ship

Saved once again

HMS Impregnable

Refit - Paintwork - Cost

Completion Date - Sails

Under Nelson's Flag

Takes Command - Mediterranean duties

Blockade Toulon

French escape from Toulon - Villeneuve ordered to sail for the West Indies - Stops in Cadiz - Nelson in England

Nelson arrives Cadiz

October 21 - Trafalgar - Separate Entry

Battle complete success - Nelson dead

Towed to Gibraltar - Back to England

After Trafalgar

Refit as 2nd Rate - Baltic

Paid Off - Reconstruction - 1st Rate

Guardship 21 gun - Harbour service - Ceremonial flagship

Tender to Duke of Wellington

Rammed by Neptune

1921 - Restoration

1922 - Drydock

WWII - 1940 Bombed - Magazine damaged - Repaired 2004

Flagship 2nd Sea Lord (CINCNAVHOME) - Courtmartials

Restoration for 2005

WORK IN PROGRESS

Geneology of a Warship

Nelson's Victory was the fifth warship of the Royal Navy to bear the name... below is a brief description of all five vessels.