Trafalgar HMS Royal Sovereign Prepares to Break the Line
Just minutes from opening fire, HMS Royal Sovereign, carrying the flag of Vice-Admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood, approaches the Franco-Spanish line at Trafalgar, prior to breaking through and delivering a devastating broadside into the black-painted Santa Ana. Royal Sovereign had already taken terrible punishment as it had approached the enemy line, unable to bring her own guns to bear. Ships depicted, left to right, are: Indomptable (Fr) Rhin (Fr) Santa Ana (Sp) Royal Sovereign (Br) and Fougeux (Fr)
