Jack Tar: Life in Nelson's Navy

"Since my first visit to HMS Victory when I was eight, I have been fascinated by the Napoleonic age of warships. I have a lot of paintings of them on my walls at home—and yes, fortunately, my wife likes them too. I also love reading about the era, so naturally I have a set of Patrick O’Brien books on my shelf. But what was it really like to be a sailor in the age of Nelson? Well, you need simply to read Jack Tar . This book draws on diaries and other first hand accounts from men who were in the British Royal Navy at that time and the result is truly fascinating. These recollections get under the skin of all aboard, from the lower decks to the captains. “History is all about stories, not just bland facts, dates, statistics” Jack Tar provides an insight into how people coped with adverse conditions and harsh environments. Heavy seas and storms often meant the sailors were cold and wet with little or no means of drying their clothes. Without refrigeration, food supplies soon spoilt, becoming fit only for the cockroaches and rats that often infested these ships. Despite these hardships, life was not always miserable. There was still humour and laughter, and a crew could be, in general, a happy and cohesive group. If that were not the case, a warship would not function well. But these ships were built for a purpose. Battles and skirmishes at sea were not an everyday occurrence, but when they did happen, they were truly horrific. The injuries sustained from shot, shell and musket often led to a slow death. Injury to the limbs invariably resulted amputation, without the use of anaesthetic. And yes, this is also a super companion to the Adkins’s earlier book on the battle of Trafalgar."