General Chat

Forgive your enemies, but never forget who they are.

Dear Barry and All

Hello

I didn't realise it was Trafalgar Day.

I think in 2005 there were celebrations because
I recorded a TV programme about this.


Take gentle care all
Very best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

history perspective- I think the crusaders were the ISIS of their time

You're so right, we learn nothing, but it would be nice to feel able to be proud of our past achievements as a nation, and not constantly apologising and feeling guilty and embarrassed about the past. All European countries were as guilty as us if not more so to dark deeds, for which we freely acknowledge, but it wasn't all bad, and it would be nice to be able to be proud of the good, like Trafalgar.

It was a long time ago and people forget. The world has moved on. Enemies have become friends.

People alive today had parents and grandparents who fought in WW1 and WW2 so those memories are kept alive. But they will also fade eventually and just become "history".

Sadly new battles and wars will replace the old. We learn nothing.

If you go to,Gibraltar ,there is the Trafalgar cemetery where lots of young men who served on the Victory are buried.its surprising how young they were to hold such senior posts in the Navy...17/18 olds.
Nelson was supposedly sent back to Britain in a barrel of brandy.

Well, it's the 600th anniversary of Agincourt in a few days :-D

~~

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

~~

Our wedding day - my brother-in-law had prepared an elaborate speech about "England expects" but was luckily deflected

" Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar is thought of as one of Britain's greatest military achievements.

But new research by the National Maritime Museum and the National Archives has shown that the fighting was done by hundreds of foreigners, including some Frenchmen.

Of the 13,000 who served on the 33 ships to take part in the battle, 1,260 of them were born outside of Britain or Ireland.

They came from as far afield as Africa, India, America and another 20 European countries.

While most were from neutral or allied nations, 24 Spaniards and 54 Frenchmen also served in the 1805 British fleet.

One was Pierre Lomac, 25, from Bordeaux, on HMS Conqueror, whose marines took the surrender of Vice Admiral Villeneuve, the leader of the French and Spanish fleet.

Benitte Grinzolo, 22, from Spain, sailed aboard HMS Mars which was heavily damaged in the battle.

Another name which stood out was Jane Townshend who served on the Defiance, and is the only woman proven to have been present, though witness accounts describe others being there."

How sad, Magpie. Possibly you're right.
I never thought about it 'like that'.
It was the past that bought us to the present, let us remember!
As usual, it is the Politicians who have allowed a once great nation to be ridiculed and to be dictated what must be done.
Incredible the fall in grace in mere decades!
Those hundreds of thousands of our ancestors who went to war and died for our freedom must be turning in their graves.
Let us hope the many immigrants we in the Western World welcome into our countries will take into account all we have been robbed of our own colorful and hard fought history for their benefit.
Fat chance of that, methinks!
Last one down to the cellar turn the lights out please!

I don't think rememberingTrafalgar Day would be PC these days! I agree it is a pity, but celebrating past glories is very frowned upon, 'England's past stinks' seems the accepted position these days - sadly.

Just thought I'd say....
Been wondering if anyone else remembered it.
We seem to forget the great victories of our nation's past.

Been looking in the Maritime Museum at Nelson's uniform.
The Union Jack that flew on HMS Minotaur ... at least that wasn't 'Made in China'.