HMS Victory — Overview
Overview
HMS Victory is a 104-gun First Rate Ship of the Line — Class Overview, launched at Chatham Dockyard on 7 May 1765. She served as Nelson Horatio — Biography Overview’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar 1805 — Overview, where Nelson was mortally wounded on her quarterdeck. She is the world’s oldest naval warship still in commission and is preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Specifications
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rate | First Rate (100+ guns) |
| Guns | 104 (as at Trafalgar) |
| Displacement | ~3,500 tons |
| Length (gun deck) | 227 ft (69.2 m) |
| Beam | 51 ft 10 in (15.8 m) |
| Draught | 28 ft 9 in (8.8 m) |
| Crew complement | ~850 men |
| Launched | 7 May 1765 |
| Builder | Chatham Dockyard |
| Designer | Sir Thomas Slade |
Construction History
Victory was designed by Slade Thomas — Naval Architect and laid down at Chatham Dockyard in 1759. Construction took six years — not unusual for a First Rate. Her keel is made of English Elm — Shipbuilding Timber; her frames from English Oak — Shipbuilding Timber, sourced from the forests of Wealden Forest — Timber Source. It took approximately 6,000 trees to build her. Her Copper Sheathing — Hull Protection was added during a 1780 refit to combat the Teredo Worm — Hull Degradation that plagued wooden ships in warm waters.
Service History
Victory served in several major actions before Trafalgar:
- Battle of Ushant 1778 — flagship of Admiral Keppel
- Battle of Cape Spartel 1782
- Extensive refits 1790s
- Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797 — Overview — carried Admiral Jervis (not Nelson)
- Nelson’s flagship from 1803 until his death at Trafalgar, 1805
At Trafalgar
At the Battle of Trafalgar 1805 — Overview, Victory led the weather column. She broke through the enemy line between Bucentaure — Overview and Redoutable — French 74-gun Ship. It was from Redoutable — French 74-gun Ship’s mizzentop that the marksman shot Nelson on Victory’s quarterdeck. Victory suffered 57 killed and 102 wounded.
Armament at Trafalgar
- Lower gun deck: 30 × 32-Pounder Naval Cannon
- Middle gun deck: 28 × 24-Pounder Naval Cannon
- Upper gun deck: 30 × 12-Pounder Naval Cannon
- Quarterdeck and forecastle: 12 × 12-Pounder Naval Cannon + 2 × 68-Pounder Carronade
Fate and Preservation
Victory was towed to Portsmouth after Trafalgar and never fired her guns in anger again. She was saved from breaking up by campaigners in the early 20th century. Since 1922 she has been preserved in dry dock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, in commission as the flagship of the First Sea Lord.
Sources
Related
Navigation
Same Ship — Sub-Notes
- HMS Victory — Construction and Shipyard
- HMS Victory — Armament and Guns
- HMS Victory — Crew Roster and Officers 1805
Battle Peers — Trafalgar 1805
- HMS Royal Sovereign — Overview — Collingwood’s flagship, led the lee column
- Bucentaure — Overview — Villeneuve’s flagship, raked by Victory at noon
Battles
Key Personnel
- Nelson Horatio — Biography Overview
- Hardy Thomas Masterman — Captain HMS Victory
- Beatty William — Surgeon HMS Victory