Public invited to attend Great Yarmouth Trafalgar Day service

The service, which will be led by Revd Canon Simon Ward, the Rector of Great Yarmouth, takes place at 1pm on Sunday, October 20, at Nelson's Monument in Monument Road in the town.

The event will start with a procession from South Beach Parade to the monument, where tots of rum or orange juice will be available to toast Lord Nelson.

Norfolk Militia will be present and will take a salute and fire a ceremonial gun shot during the service to honour the Naval hero's memory.

The Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Councillor Paula Waters-Bunn will lay a wreath at the monument on behalf of the borough and Councillor Kerry Robinson-Payne, the Custodian of the Norfolk Naval Pillar, will read the account of the battle of Trafalgar. The service will also include hymns and prayers.

The Norfolk Naval Pillar marks Nelson's four main naval victories - at the Nile, Copenhagen, St Vincent, and Trafalgar. It is topped with the figure of Britannia and the motto from Nelson's coat of arms.

Councillor Waters-Bunn said: "Trafalgar Day holds a special place in our hearts as it pays tribute to the remarkable victory achieved by Admiral Lord Nelson and his brave crew at the Battle of Trafalgar. It is a day when we come together as a community to honour the enduring spirit of courage, unity and resilience that has defined our nation for centuries.''

Nelson was born at Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk and visited Great Yarmouth many times during his career and was given the Freedom of the Borough.

The fleet for the Battle of Copenhagen was prepared at Great Yarmouth and landed back in the port victorious.

Over the period 1794 to 1805, under Nelson's leadership, the Royal Navy proved its supremacy over the French. His most famous engagement, at Cape Trafalgar, saved Britain from threat of invasion by Napoleon.

Before the battle on October 21, 1805, Nelson sent out the famous signal to his fleet 'England expects that every man will do his duty'. He was killed by a French sniper a few hours later while leading the attack on the combined French and Spanish fleet.

His body was preserved in brandy and transported back to England where he was given a state funeral.

Councillor Robinson-Payne said: ''Great Yarmouth's Naval Pillar is a tribute to the memory of one of Norfolk's greatest heroes and, as well as Admiral Nelson, the service provides an opportunity for us to remember those who gave their lives to defend the essential freedoms that we treasure today."

The pillar stands at 144ft tall. It was paid for by public donations at a cost of £7,000 to commemorate Nelson after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar and was completed in 1819 - 21 years before London's Trafalgar Square monument.