Tim Wonnacott looks at the HMS Victory which is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29th September 1758 - 21st October 1805) was an English flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and having a superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of decisive naval victories. He was wounded several times in combat, losing one arm and the sight in one eye. Of his several victories, the most well known and notable was the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, at the end of which he was shot and killed.