A line of embossed fire buckets hanging along the edge of the poop deck on board HMS Victory, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, UK.
"Hanging along the edge of the poop deck and accessible from the quarterdeck are a row of fire buckets. Fire was always a serious risk on ships like the Victory because of their wooden construction, the pitch used to seal the decks and the tar coated rigging. Made from leather they were used to either hold water or sand. The GR painted on the buckets stands for George Rex or King George III. " "HMS Victory is the Royal Navy's most famous warship. She is the world's oldest commissioned ship and a proud memorial to Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Britain's greatest Naval hero. Standing proud in her home of No. 2 dry dock, HMS Victory is one of the most famous warships ever built. Built between 1759-1765, Victory was a first-rate, ship-of-the-line. In 1805, Vice Admiral Lord Nelson on board his flagship, HMS Victory, led 27 British ships into battle off Cape Trafalgar against a much larger combined French and Spanish fleet. Thanks to Nelson's inspired leadership, the British won a great victory and the Battle of Trafalgar has become a defining moment in our history. But Nelson paid the ultimate price - struck by a single bullet as he paced the quarterdeck with his captain, Thomas Hardy, he survived just long enough to learn the outcome of the battle. Visit HMS Victory and see the Great Cabin where the battle was planned, the spot where Nelson died and the once crowded decks where over 800 men lived, worked and fought. Also included on your ticket when you visit HMS Victory from March 18 2005 (subject to availability) is the Trafalgar Sail Exhibition which shows the last remaining sail from HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Having survived two centuries, the sail has undergone extensive conservation work and is accompanied by an audio and lighting presentation along with an exhibition depicting the history of the sail from its manufacture. "
Size: 5129px × 3418px
Location: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LJ.
Photo credit: © Maurice Savage / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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