Submarine lights HMS Victory to mark Trafalgar centenary – NOSTALGIA

Although this postcard, right, is captioned 1904 I think the picture might have been taken a few years earlier when the ship arrived in Portsmouth for a visit in 1885.
By Bob.Hind1
Published 25th Apr 2019, 18:36 BST
Nelson would have been amazed to see a submarine being used to give light to HMS Victory. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collection.Nelson would have been amazed to see a submarine being used to give light to HMS Victory. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collection.
Nelson would have been amazed to see a submarine being used to give light to HMS Victory. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collection.

The German fully-rigged training ship SMS Moltke was launched in 1877 and completed the following year.

She was fully rigged to help her steam engines on long voyages and she was also armed with 10 5.9 guns, two 3.5 quick-firing guns and six 1.5 five-barrelled guns. Quite an armament for a sailing ship of this period.

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She became a training ship in 1885 and went to the breakers in 1920.

HMS Victory illuminated in 1905, a century after Trafalgar.HMS Victory illuminated in 1905, a century after Trafalgar.
HMS Victory illuminated in 1905, a century after Trafalgar.

It’s such a shame there is no one alive who remembers seeing this magnificent ship arriving with her masts manned by her crew. It would have been quite superb and stirs memories of my time at HMS Ganges.

• If you want an enjoyable day out on Sunday then do get to the Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum in Coal Park Lane where locomotives and traction engines will be in steam.

The picture here shows a loco called Cloister which, hopefully, will be in steam.

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I can assure you that children will love the event as much as the adults. Is there anything like a traction engine when it is alive?

We are used to sailing ships arriving in Portsmouth today, but the arrival of the German SMS Moltke towards the end of the 19th century would have been a surprise. Picture: Barry Cox Collection.We are used to sailing ships arriving in Portsmouth today, but the arrival of the German SMS Moltke towards the end of the 19th century would have been a surprise. Picture: Barry Cox Collection.
We are used to sailing ships arriving in Portsmouth today, but the arrival of the German SMS Moltke towards the end of the 19th century would have been a surprise. Picture: Barry Cox Collection.

There is much more to see than just the steam of course. The whole site is well worth a day out.

The museum is open from 11am to 4pm. Go to bursledonbrickworks.org.uk for further information. I hope to see you there.

• The photograph I published here last Monday of Lord Montgomery laying a D-Day stone memorial in Portsmouth’s Anglican cathedral on June 9, 1966, was spotted by Jim Gardener who appears in the picture.

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He wrote to me saying: ‘I am holding the block and tackle chains and had to avoid catching Monty's hand!

Lord Viscount Montgomery at Portsmouth's Anglican cathedral in 1966. Jim Gardener is on the far right with the architect from Seely and Pagets to the left.Lord Viscount Montgomery at Portsmouth's Anglican cathedral in 1966. Jim Gardener is on the far right with the architect from Seely and Pagets to the left.
Lord Viscount Montgomery at Portsmouth's Anglican cathedral in 1966. Jim Gardener is on the far right with the architect from Seely and Pagets to the left.

‘The architect from Seely and Paget is alongside.

‘My involvement was because my firm undertook maintenance at the cathedral.’

Does anyone else have memories of this event which took place 22 years after the Normandy landings?

• In 1905, a century after the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory was illuminated at night to mark the occasion. It must have caused quite a stir among residents.

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• And the unusual photograph on the facing page was taken at the same time to celebrate Nelson’s triumph over the French and Spanish fleets.

Those lights strung around Victory to dress her overall lit with power from a submarines moored on her port side.

Related topics:HMS VictoryNostalgiaTrafalgarPortsmouth

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