Horatio Nelson went into his last battle wearing the embroidered stars of four orders of knighthood on his coat — the decorations that made him unmistakable on his own quarterdeck. At about 1:15 PM on October 21, 1805, off Cape Trafalgar, a marksman in the mizzentop of the French Redoutable fired down through the smoke and struck him in the left shoulder. Nelson lived three more hours, long enough to learn that his fleet had taken or destroyed eighteen enemy ships without losing one of its own. He had already given his right arm at Tenerife and the sight of his right eye at Calvi.

The figure shows Nelson as a Vice-Admiral in undress uniform — the fore-and-aft cocked hat, dark blue coat with gold epaulettes, white waistcoat and breeches — the embroidered stars of his orders on the left breast and the right sleeve pinned empty. He stands in command, drawing the presentation sword at his hip. As a Trafalgar centerpiece, set him alongside a British Royal Marine Drummer, whose corps served the guns and small arms aboard every ship of the line, or pair him with the British 1st Guard with Regimental Colour to stand Britain's commander at sea beside her army on land.

W. Britain model 13028. 1/30 scale (approximately 60mm), matte-painted metal. Single foot figure on a turned wooden display base. Boxed.