On May 7, 1765, HMS Victory was launched from an old dock at Chatham Royal Shipyard. In subsequent years, he gained fame for participating in the American War of Independence and in the battle of the English naval forces with the French-Spanish fleet. In 1805, the ship became famous as the flagship of Vice Admiral Nelson in the greatest naval battle of Great Britain at Trafalgar, during which the French and Spaniards were defeated.
Most famous fact
There have been many famous warships in the history of the United Kingdom navy, but the battleship of the first rank of the Royal Navy of Great Britain can rightfully claim the title of one of the most famous of them. It was he who served as the flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The death of Admiral Nelson on board this ship during the Battle of Trafalgar is a momentous moment in history. He was mortally wounded on October 21, 1805 by a French sailor. After the shot, Nelson was carried to Orlop, a deck where officers' cabins were located and where other wounded sailors and officers were awaiting medical attention. Three hours later, he died, but Britain won.
History
Less well known is the early history of the Victory ship. In 1765, he was first launched. For 13 years he was in reserve at Chatham before becoming one of the most successful naval ships of all time. He led the fleets in a series of history-changing wars, including the American War of Independence.
After forty years of battles, the battleship of the first rank of the Royal Navy of Great Britain achieved glory in the Battle of Trafalgar. Nevertheless, even after this, he continued to serve in the Baltic and other seas before his warship career ended in 1812. Coincidentally, he was 47 years old, as much as Admiral Nelson was when he died.
Preservation
January 12, 1922, after many years of mooring in the harbor, the ship decided to save for posterity. Then he was placed in dock number 2 in Portsmouth, the oldest dry dock in the world, which is still in use. The condition of the ship was so poor that it could no longer safely stay afloat. During the initial recovery period, from 1922 to 1929, a significant portion of the structural repair work was carried out over the waterline and middle deck. In 1928, King George V was able to present a completion plate, although restoration and maintenance continued under the supervision of the Society for Marine Research.
Further restoration
Recovery was suspended during World War II, and in 1941 the Victory ship received additional damage when a bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe hit its front end. The Germans in their propaganda broadcasts claimed to have destroyed the ship, but the Admiralty denied this statement.
In 2016, after the completion of all restoration work, Victory was presented to the public. A special itinerary for the ship excursion was prepared for visitors. Now they can follow in the footsteps of Nelson, his most famous admiral, from the moment the ship set sail on its decisive voyage to Cape Trafalgar until the terrible battle with the French.
Life stages of the ship
Its construction began in 1759. After launching in 1765, the Victory ship remained in reserve until 1778, when it was first re-equipped. In the same year, he took part in the battle of Ushant against the French fleet and subsequently needed a little repair due to injuries sustained during the battle.
The next stage is from 1780 to 1799. At this time, the ship sailed under the flag of Lord Samuel Hood, participating in battles in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1797, Victory changed its status. At first she was converted into a hospital ship, and then practically turned into a prison ship. In fact, this could put an end to the existence of a military sailing ship. After the loss of the 98-gun battleship of the 2nd rank HMS Impregnable in 1799, it was decided to continue to use the “Victory” for its intended purpose. She was sent for overhaul in Chatham.
Time of Trafalgar and Portsmouth
Between 1800 and 1803, a major overhaul of the Victory ship was made in Chatham. At the same time, his weapons were updated in accordance with the latest instructions of the Naval Council. His appearance has changed a lot.
Many internal changes have also been made, including a properly designed infirmary. Admiral Nelson’s Victory ship was now painted in yellow and black stripes. When the work was finished, his appearance was very similar to the current one. It was his restoration team who decided to recreate in the 1920s.
By the beginning of the second decade of the 20th century, the condition of the Victory was so poor that it could no longer stay afloat. Its appearance continued to change after the overhaul of 1814-1816. In the end, it was completely not the ship that Nelson knew.
Main characteristics
A new first-class project was developed by the Navy Inspector Sir Thomas Slade. The length of the keel was to be 79 meters, the height of the ship was 62.5 meters, the displacement was 2162 tons, the crew was about 850, and the armament was more than 100 guns. Their number in different years varied from 100 to 110.
The maximum speed of the ship was 11 knots (20.3 km / h). About 6,000 trees were used for construction, mainly oaks from Kent, New Forest and Germany. It was the sixth Victory model of the Navy. One ship of the same name under the command of Sir John Hawkins fought with the Spanish armada in 1588. Another with 80 guns was released in 1666, and the fifth, launched in 1737, drowned in 1744.
Battle history
The keel of the most famous ship in the history of the Royal Navy was laid in the old dock (now the Victory dock) at the Chatham shipyard in Kent. The event was attended by Admiralty official William Pitt Senior, as the government announced a large program a year earlier to build first-class battleships and frigates.
After the construction of the frame was completed, the vessel was usually left for several months in the dock. After numerous victories in the Seven Years War in 1759, it seemed that a ship of this class would no longer be needed, and its construction was suspended for three years. Work began again in the fall of 1763, and finally it was launched on May 7, 1765. The musicians played "Rule, Britain, by the seas."
Only in 1778 during the American War of Independence, was a new “Victory” necessary and removed from the reserve, then Admiral August Keppel raised its flag above it. Under him, and then Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, she participated in two battles in Ushant, and in 1796 she marched under the flag of Admiral Sir John Jervis in the battle at Cape St. Vincent.
Although the ship was one of the fastest in the fleet, it was considered too old and was actually “demoted”, but in 1800, at the insistence of Lord Nelson, the admiralty completely repaired it. In 1803, the most glorious period in the history of the ship began, when Nelson raised his flag on it in Portsmouth. It was Victory who transmitted his signal: “Britain is waiting” in Trafalgar, on this ship he died, and the same ship returned his body to England.