215 years ago, the Royal Navy fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Viscount Horatio Nelson, Duke of Brontë, KB, engaged and defeated the combined French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar. England was facing invasion by Napoleon, and Nelson knew he had to neutralize the threat, no matter what the cost may be. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Royal Navy defeated the enemy is one of its finest victories in its history; no British ships surrendered during the Battle and 21 enemy ships were captured and one sank. But during the battle, Nelson was struck by a bullet from a French sharpshooter and he would not live to see his victory.
Prior to the Battle, is it recorded that Nelson was found praying in his cabin and he recorded the following prayer:
May the great God, whom I worship, grant to my country and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory: and may no misconduct, in any one, tarnish it: and may humanity after victory be the predominant Feature in the British fleet.
For myself individually, I commit my life to Him who made me And may His blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully.
To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend Amen. Amen. Amen.
The following prayer from the Book of Common Prayer was probably said by the sailors on board prior to battle:
O Most powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hosts, that rulest and commandest all things: Thou sittest in the throne judging right, and therefore we make our address to thy Divine Majesty in this our necessity, that thou wouldest take the cause into thine own hand, and judge between us and our enemies. Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come and help us; for thou givest not alway the battle to the strong, but canst save by many or by few. O let not our sins now cry against us for vengeance; but hear us thy poor servants begging mercy, and imploring thy help, and that thou wouldest be a defence unto us against the face of the enemy. Make it appear that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The traditional toast at a Trafalgar Day Dinner, said after the Loyal Toast: “The Immortal Memory.”
High Anglican Haligonian 