A ship of the line was only as good as the men who worked her, and the Royal Navy got those men however it could — volunteers drawn by prize money, landsmen and boys, and a great many pressed: merchant sailors seized by the press gang and made to serve. It was a hard life of salt rations, close quarters, and the lash, yet these mixed crews became the finest seamen and gunners in the world. At Trafalgar in 1805, British gun teams could load and fire far faster than their opponents — a broadside every minute and a half — and that speed won the battle. Nelson knew what he owed them; his genius was as much for leading men as for fighting ships.

The six-figure set gives Nelson his ship's company: the Admiral in his decorated Vice-Admiral's coat and the empty right sleeve, a naval officer and boatswain, and three seamen in the round tarred hats and short jackets of the lower deck. It makes a quarterdeck diorama in miniature. Crew the scene out with the wider Royal Navy set, post the Royal Marines who served aboard every ship of the line at their stations, and add a second file of Royal Marines to line the gangway.

Tradition of London model 0074. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Six-figure set — Admiral Lord Nelson with a naval officer, boatswain, and three seamen, 1805. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.