Cybercaptain: HMS Victory

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

HMS Victory

HMS Victory, 1928 watercolor by William Lionel Wyllie (credit Tall Ships FB)

In November 2016 I traveled from Southampton to Portsmouth to visit this exhibit at the Naval Dockyard. The HMS Victory display is the famous ship where Nelson won the battle over Trafalgar but unfortunately was also mortally wounded there and after his death raised to one of the heroes of Britain. He was a true superstar of his time. The Victory is still in commission but I doubt she'll sail anywhere should the need arise, the upper rig is missing altogether. Even some of her cannons are today made out of plastic. The pictures below are all mine, unfortunately some of them are over exposed due to the settings on my fish eye lens on my Nikon D750.

HMS Victory

HMS Victory is the world’s oldest naval ship still in commission and served as the site of Britain's most famous naval triumph.

Open deck

A Slow Start (1759–1778): Launched in 1765 after six years of construction, she spent her first 13 years in reserve. Sailors initially considered the name "Victory" unlucky because a previous ship with that name had vanished in 1744.

Gun deck

The Nelson Era (1803–1805): After decades of service, she became the flagship of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson. Her defining moment came at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, where she led the British fleet to a decisive win over Napoleon's forces. Nelson was famously shot on her quarterdeck and died in her cockpit shortly after victory was secured.

Gun deck

Retirement to Portsmouth (1812–1922): Retired from frontline duty in 1812, she was moored in Portsmouth Harbour, serving as a depot ship and a floating attraction. By the early 1900s, she was in such poor condition that she was in danger of sinking.

Gun deck

Bilge pump

A Permanent Home (1922–Present): Following a national "Save the Victory" campaign, she was moved into Dry Dock No. 2 (the oldest in the world) on 12 January 1922. Despite being hit by a German bomb in 1941, she survived the war and remains the flagship of the First Sea Lord.