K - ‘Kiss me Hardy’
As Vice-Admiral Horatio, Lord Nelson lay dying in the cockpit of HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, Nelson was twice visited by his close friend and flag-captain, Thomas Hardy.
When the moment came for the two men to part for the last time, Nelson then very close to death, asked Hardy to kiss him. Hardy kissed him on the cheek; 'Now I am satisfied,' said Nelson, 'Thank God I have done my duty'. Hardy stood up and then having spent a few moments looking down silently at his friend, knelt and kissed him again on the forehead. 'Who is that?' asked Nelson, now barely able to see. 'It is Hardy.' 'God bless you Hardy.'
This touching request so wholly in keeping with Nelson's character, and indeed with the spirit of the age in which he lived, was misunderstood by later generations who found it embarrassing. As a result the ludicrous legend was invented that persists to this day, that Nelson actually said 'Kismet Hardy', which is Turkish for 'fate'.
The famous request for the kiss and the other words uttered at the same time, were recorded by Surgeon William Beatty in his meticulous and very detailed account of Nelson's death, published in 1807. That in itself should have been sufficient to scotch the 'Kismet' theory; but it has proved remarkably persistent with its supporters straining credibility further by suggesting that perhaps Beatty misheard. Even if he did, this of course does not explain why Hardy kissed Nelson twice. In fact, Beatty's recollection is supported by the written testimony of two other eyewitnesses: Rev. Alexander Scott the Victory's Chaplain who was sitting next to Nelson; and Walter Burke the Purser who was supporting the bed under Nelson, both of whom heard and recorded Nelson's words.
Part of the Nelson A to Z, Edited extracts taken from The Nelson Encyclopædia by Dr Colin White, Chatham Publishing London, 2002.