By Tom Sharpe*
At 11.45am, on Oct 21, 220 years ago, Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson ordered the most famous military message ever sent to be hoisted as a flag signal on HMS Victory’s starboard mizzenmast yardarm: “England expects that every man will do his duty”. As the columns of warships closed towards each other at no more than a walking pace, the English sailors roared their approval in unison at the sentiment from their dear Admiral.
Except they didn’t, at least not all of them.
