G - Gibraltar
Standing at the entrance to the Mediterranean and dominating the narrow strait that lies to the south of it, the Rock of Gibraltar has always been a key strategic point, and control of it was long disputed among the nations with interests in the area. Captured by the British in 1704 and heavily defended against constant Spanish attempts to recapture it throughout the 18th century, by Nelson's day Gibraltar was already seen as a key British possession. However, because of its difficult terrain there was no space for a large dockyard and so it tended to be used as a staging post, rather than as a naval base.
Nelson visited on a number of occasions throughout his career. His last visit was on 19 July 1805 when he went ashore briefly following his famous chase of the French fleet to the West Indies and back. As he noted in his private journal: '…I went on shore for the first time since the 16th of June 1803 and from having my foot out of the Victory, two years wanting ten days'.
There is a persistent local tradition however, that Nelson's body was brought onto the island after the Battle of Trafalagar. The Victory had been so badly damaged at the Battle of Trafalgar, that she put into Gibraltar for temporary repairs on 28 October 1805, and tradition states that the barrel containing Nelson's body was landed at Rosia Bay while ship repairs were effected; but there is no documentation of this in any of the ship's records and it is more likely that the body remained on board.
Gibraltar still retains its character as a fortress town and some of the buildings and fortifications date back to Nelson's time and before. In the centre of the town is the small Trafalgar Cemetery, where some of those who died of wounds sustained at the battle are buried and a ceremony of remembrance is held there every year on Trafalgar Day.
Part of the Nelson A to Z, Edited extracts taken from The Nelson Encyclopædia by Dr Colin White, Chatham Publishing London, 2002.