Gibraltar -
“ WAR SHIPS ~ LORD NELSON ~ 200th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR. ”
MNH ~ Set of 4 Sheetlets !
The £1.60 “HMS Victory” stamp sheetlet (pix 5 & 6) is printed with wood slivers !
Gibraltar HMS Victory stamp depicting the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar incorporates minute slivers of wood, cut from the original oak timbers of HMS Victory !
Only the HMS Victory stamp (GBP1.60) is printed from paper made by pulping wood from the actual HMS Victory.
The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on the 21st October 1805 off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish Coast, between the combined fleets of Spain and France and the Royal Navy. It was the last great sea action of the period and its significance to the outcome of the war in Europe is still debated by historians.
A Royal Navy fleet under the command of Admiral Nelson destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, and in doing so guaranteed the United Kingdom uncontested control of the world’s ocean for more than 100 years.
In June 1803 Nelson embarked on HMS Victory as Commander in Chief in the Mediterranean. The next time he stepped off her on to land was on 20th July 1805 at Gibraltar. During that time he had been either blockading or chasing the French and Spanish fleets. Nelson's connection with Gibraltar was not finished as it was at Rosia Bay, Gibraltar on the 3rd November 1805 that his body was brought ashore from HMS Victory and re-interred in Spirits of Salts before sailing back to Great Britain.
Year: 2005.
(A13) ~ Psg Cpd Tp.
