HMS Victory, the most famous ship in the history of the Royal Navy, is best known as Horatio Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. Today Victory is docked at Portsmouth and as flagship of the Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command is the oldest commissioned warship in the world.
Laid down in 1759 Victory was a First Rate, the most powerful type of ship of her day with three gun decks mounting 100 guns. She was launched in 1765 but was not commissioned until 1778. This long period of weathering meant her timbers were well seasoned and was a major reason for her long life.
In service for almost forty years, Victory was well known for her excellent sailing qualities and served as the flagship to a series of distinguished Admirals including Kempenfelt, Howe, Hood, Jervis and Saumarez. She fought at Ushant in 1781 and St Vincent in 1797. In 1797 she was pronounced unfit for further service and orders were given for her conversion into a hospital ship. However the loss of First Rate ship HMS Impregnable in 1799 saw the decision reversed and what became the 'Great Refit' took place at Chatham between 1800-1803.
On 21 October 1805, Victory led the British fleet into battle off Cape Trafalgar against the Franco-Spanish force; at 1148 the most famous signal in the history of the Royal Navy, 'England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty' flew from her masthead. In the heat of the battle Admiral Nelson was killed but the British and Victory fought on and drove back the Franco-Spanish fleet.
After further service in the Baltic and off the coast of Spain, Victory was put into reserve in 1812 in Portsmouth. Flagship of the Port Admiral from 1824 she became flagship of the Commander-in-Chief in 1889. She entered her present dock in Portsmouth on 12 January 1922.
