Today marks the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Below is a guide for how you can get involved in the fast-fading tradition of toasting the ‘Immortal Memory’ of Nelson and his men.
In short, if you wish to toast Nelson and his sailors this evening, simply do the following.
Line up a glass of port (or rum/brandy/wine) and, before drinking, say either:
‘To the Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson and those who fell with him.’ (This is the original toast – and my personal preference.)
‘To the Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson.’ (A shortened and more widely used version.)
‘To the immortal memory of Horatio, Lord Nelson, and to all those who fell with him’. (A rather nice re-wording by Queen Elizabeth II from 2005.)
And that’s all you need to do: say one of the above sentences and neck something containing alcohol.
Should you wish to know slightly more on the subject, however, read on below…
‘If you come, we will drink to his Immortal Memory.’
Nelson’s mistress, Lady Emma Hamilton, wrote the above words to a friend whilst in debtors’ prison, eight years after her lover’s death at Trafalgar. It is the earliest known use of the term ‘Immortal Memory’ with regards to Horatio Nelson. Interestingly, Emma was actually proposing that she and her friend toast the anniversary of the Battle of the Nile, which had taken place in August, 1798; Trafalgar was not on her mind. (Such was Emma’s ever-expanding fondness for alcohol, however, one suspects she was skilled at finding multiple dates upon which to raise a glass to her beloved Nelson.)
Whilst the love of his life was left to spiral into poverty, reverence for Horatio Nelson was such that, within years of his victory at Trafalgar, October 21st became a recognised day of remembrance.
To this very day, the Royal Navy marks Trafalgar Day with Trafalgar Night. The occasion is celebrated in clubs and societies across Great Britain and across the Navy’s farthest outposts.
Whereas most sailors may simply raise a glass this evening, the routine of the official Royal Navy Trafalgar Night Dinner is still quite something. It involves three courses, generally beginning with fish, followed by a mighty roast beef main, which is ceremoniously ‘paraded’ around the room by a chef beforehand. The dessert consists of an enormous chocolate HMS Victory. The ship is additionally loaded with confectionery ammunition: whipped cream, chocolates, and all sorts of artery-clogging yumminess that could dish out more damage to a sailor’s heart than any French warship ever managed at Trafalgar.
Here comes the best bit, though. During the toast, a bottle of port is passed around and poured to the left. If anyone is seen partaking of too much, then somebody will ask them ‘Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?’ At which point, the drinker must pass the port on.
I love that.
How all of these quirky traditions came to be, I have no idea. I’m not sure if anyone knows. But I am glad they are yet to be culled in the name of Progress. Rather sweetly, the Royal Navy website suggests you can do just as wholesome a job of marking Trafalgar Day/Night by eating a beef sandwich and having a quick swig of port.
The toasting of the Immortal Memory wasn’t always confined to wainscoted naval dining saloons. It was a truly national affair in Victorian Britain, with houses up and down the land marking the role of Nelson’s men in what was known colloquially as ‘the Great War’.
Sadly, there was to be another Great War in 1914. Not only did the First World War eclipse the Napoleonic War in terms of casualties, its years of mindless slaughter also meant that Britain’s autumnal toast to Nelson was gradually superseded by Remembrance Sunday. The sailors killed off the coast of Spain in 1805 had become merely a memory of memory. Watered down. Soon enough, the First World War would itself slink into the shadow of the Second.
That’s the trouble with humans. When it comes to war, they can always go one better.
After the victory at Trafalgar, with the Royal Navy docked at Gibraltar, Nelson’s body was slipped into a casket and submerged in brandy to preserve it, topped up with wine and water. Legend has it that sailors secretly drank the liquid from this hallowed casket. The phrase ‘tapping the Admiral’, meaning to cheekily take more than one’s allotted rations, is believed to stem from this story. In want of evidence, a legend it remains.
I’ll end with a truth, though. A line from Queen Elizabeth’s speech to diners upon HMS Victory in 2005, which perfectly surmises why it’s worth marking Trafalgar Day/Night:
‘He was without doubt a superb tactician and a fearless and determined commander, but he was above all a man of faith, duty and deep concern for the welfare of everyone in his fleet.’
My own view of Nelson is that, despite his flaws, he absolutely loved his country, his God, and his men. And he died believing himself to be doing his best in defense of all three.
I suggest we all fetch ourselves a glass this evening. And if the Bishop of Norwich calls, we can tell him we’re busy.
Nelson The Sailor 