Trafalgar remembered
Woodland Trust and Royal Navy mark the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar
The first ceremony to mark Scotland’s contribution to the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar took place in Glasgow today, Sunday 5th June 2005.
The Royal Navy’s most senior officer, the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West, joined the Lord Provost of Glasgow The Right Honourable Liz Cameron to mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal Navy’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar at a service at Glasgow Cathedral followed by a wreath laying and a tree planting ceremony at the Nelson Monument in Glasgow Green. The ceremony also featured a fly past by the ‘Black Cats’ Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team and the Royal Marine Band Scotland.
The planting of a Sessile Oak at Glasgow Green marked the first of a series of events to mark Scotland’s contribution to the Battle of Trafalgar. Woodland Trust Scotland is planting six Trafalgar Woods north of the border, with a further 27 being planted elsewhere in the UK to commemorate each of the 27 ships of the line and the 6 supporting ships in Nelson’s fleet, and to mark the vital role British timber played in naval heritage.
Scotland’s contribution to the Battle of Trafalgar was significant - five of Nelson’s 27 captains of the Fleet were Scottish. In addition, Scotland’s industry contributed via timber products, Baxter’s of Dundee made the Victory’s sails, iron cannons and ropes from Falkirk and, most importantly, crew members – almost 30% of the crew hailed from Scottish towns and fishing villages. Nelson’s doctor and the woman who embalmed his body when he died were Scottish. In addition, children as young as 10 were members of the 18,000 strong crew during the battle, the youngest being a cabin boy from Leith.
The Woodland Trust Scotland is working towards six separate Trafalgar woods planting approximately 30,000 trees: DEFENCE in Tomintoul, Moray; DEFIANCE in Dumfries and Galloway; SWIFTSURE in Carnbo, near Kinross; NAIAD in Lundie, near Dundee; PICKLE near Auchterarder; and a community woodland for the people of the Camperdown Estate in Dundee to commemorate Nelson’s mentor, Admiral Adam Duncan, who hailed from the area, and their own maritime heritage.
Andrew Fairbairn of the Woodland Trust Scotland comments: “Trafalgar Woods marks the important link between maritime history and our native woodland. We want to get people thinking about just how pivotal timber was - not only to the navy but in everyday life.”
The new generation of trees commemorate the tens of thousands used to construct naval vessels. HMS Victory was built from wood of more than 5,000 oaks and the entire fleet of 27 battle ships contained around 50,000 oaks, representing roughly two million years of tree growth. Although oak formed the back bone of the ships, other timber was used including fir masts, pine booms, hazel gunpowder barrels and ash tillers. In all more that 20 species were involved. Nelson also acknowledged the importance of trees to the success of the British Navy and in 1803 he wrote a letter to parliament calling for more trees to be planted to safeguard the nation’s woodland.
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West, said: “Admiral Nelson was a hero and an inspirational leader recognised not just in this country but throughout the world. His qualities of determination, commitment, bravery, courage and passion are as relevant today in the navy and in all aspects of civilian life as they were in 1805.”
The Right Honourable, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Liz Cameron says: "As the Nelson monument in Glasgow Green was the first such monument to be erected from public money, in honour of the Battle of Trafalgar, we are pleased to take part in the Naval ceremony and the planting of this
magnificent oak".
For more information visit the Trafalgar website www.treeforall.org.uk/trafalgar. Further information about the Trafalgar 200 celebrations is available on www.trafalgar200.com
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Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
• Woodland Trust Scotland - Jacqui Morris on 01355 578777, mobile: 07979 706675
• Royal Navy - Alan Dignon 07714 722020 or Neil Smith 07739 655188
For images contact:
Murdoch Ferguson - 07802608603
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres).
In 1984, the Trust acquired its first wood in Scotland. Today the Trust owns 79 sites across Scotland covering 7,600 hectares. Further news can be accessed via www.woodland-trust.org.uk
