HMS Victory is still a commissioned ship, which means it is the oldest ship in the Royal Navy. She flies the Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Commands flag to show she is still commissioned. A tour of the Victory takes approximately 45 minutes and takes you round all the decks, pointing out places of interest such as where Nelson fell and where Nelson died in the surgeons cabin.

HMS Victory fought in the battle of Trafalgar where Nelson flew his famous signal "England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty". Horatio Nelson was born on 29th September 1758 in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk. He was educated at Norwich School then at Preston Grammar School in North Walsham. He went to sea at the age of 12 and rose rapidly to become a Captain at only 21. On the 13th December 1758, just a few months after Nelson’s birth the Victory was commissioned.

Nelson had a run of decisive victories at the Nile (1798), Copenhagen (1801) and Trafalgar (1805) which made Nelson an international hero. The Victory was already a veteran of three wars and four major battles when Nelson fought in her at the Battle of Trafalgar. The Victory has now survived a demolition order, the ravages of teredo worm, death watch beetle and a German bomb in World War II and is now being preserved in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard.

In 1805 Nelson left the George Hotel in Old Portsmouth by the back entrance to avoid the crowds that had gathered to bid him farewell. He went out the back door along by the Garrison Church to join HMS Victory. The crowds soon realised he had left by the back door and flocked to the sea front to see him.

The above photograph is of the Victory Cutter Crew in one of the rowing boats from HMS victory.

For more information about this attraction please see the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard website.