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In less than six weeks we shall be celebrating the New Year. For members of The 1805 Club it is likely to be a very special year because it marks the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Admiral Lord Nelson. Looking beyond our particular enthusiasms it will also be a splendid opportunity for people throughout the country to recognise their relationship with the sea and to discover the country’s rich maritime heritage. So that members can get a feel for next year’s commemorations, The Trafalgar Festival and Sea Britain 2005, this issue of the Kedge Anchor contains a summary of the main events.
Apart from spiritual leaders, in Britain it is hard to think of any person other than Nelson who has been revered so widely and consistently for 200 years. His combat acumen, moral and physical courage, leadership excellence, humanity and mythical status have all contributed to this phenomenon. Unlike his peers, many of whom were also loved by their ships’ crews, Nelson’s personality reached out to whole fleets, and even to a nation. Remarkably, he has also reached out across time to the present where there is no living memory.