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But
it will be more than that - it will be a year long national festival
celebrating Britain's relationship with the sea, our coastline and
inland waterways.
Chatham
played an important part in the life of Horatio Nelson. He joined
the Royal Navy in Chatham in 1771 and spent the formative years
of his naval career at Chatham and at Sheerness on the River Medway.
Nelson
joined his first ship at the Royal Dockyard Chatham and many buildings
he would have known are still standing in The Historic Dockyard
today.
Nelson's
flag ship at Trafalgar, HMS Victory, was built in the Royal Dockyard
at Chatham. Her keel was laid down in 1759 in the single dock on
the site of the dock which is now home to HMS Cavalier, and launched
into the River Medway in 1765.
Five
other ships which fought at the Battle of Trafalgar were also built
on the Medway, three in the Royal Dockyard itself and two in adjoining
shipyards.
2005
also commemorates the 60th anniversaries of both VE Day in May and
VJ Day in August when hostilities of the Second World War ceased.
In
May 2005, The Historic Dockyard will be the venue for an event to
celebrate and commemorate this anniversary.
In
the Footsteps of Nelson
This
special tour for 2005 (beginning in June) explains the links between
Horatio Nelson and HMS Victory with the Royal Dockyard at Chatham
through the unique buildings and atmosphere of The Historic Dockyard
today.
The
tour tells many tales of Nelson's history, including the joining
of his first ship and visitors are able to see the site of the dock
in which HMS Victory was built.
Chatham
Naval Dockyard >>
The
naval dockyards remembered >>
The
dockyard workers >>
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