Trafalgar B

ThisisthetruestoryoftheBattleofTrafalgar,Britain'smostsignificantseabattle,asseenthroughthesmoke-hazedgunportsofthefightingships.Inanatmosphereofchokingfumesfromcannonandmusketfire,amidnoisesointenseitwasalmosttangible,thecrewsoftheBritish,FrenchandSpanishshipsdidtheirbesttocarryouttheirallottedtasks.Foroverfivehourstheywereinconstantdangerfromaterrifyingarrayofironandleadmissilesfiredfromenemyguns,aswellasthedeadlywoodensplinterssmashedfromtheships'hullsbythecannon-balls.Whilethemenmanoeuvredtheshipsandkeptthecannonsfiring,thewomenhelpedthesurgeonstendthesickorhelpedtheboys-the'powdermonkeys'-inthehazardousjobofcarryinggunpowdercartridgesfromthecentralmagazinetothegundecks.TrafalgarsetthesealonBritishnavalsupremacy,whichbecamethemainspringforthegrowthoftheBritishEmpire,andintheshorttermnotonlypreventedNapoleonfrominvadingBritain,butalsoenabledBritainanditsContinentalalliestomountthecampaignthatwouldeventuallydefeattheFrenchEmperor:withoutTrafalgartherewouldbenoWaterloo.