Tucked away in a quiet old cemetery in Gibraltar are the graves of some men who died in the Battle of Trafalgar.
Note: In transcribing the following inscriptions we have used modern English. You will be able to study the photos to see the original text.
Near here lie the remains of some of those who died from injuries at Trafalgar. Their resting place is on the site of the Old Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, which is located in this area.
Forster, Lieutenant William
Lieutenant William Forster, late of His Majesty’s Ship Colossus. He died of wounds received in the glorious battle off Trafalgar on the 21st October 1805. He was 20 years old.
Norman, Captain Thomas
To the memory of Captain Thomas Norman of the Royal Marine Corps and late of His Majesty’s Ship Mars who died in the Naval Hospital of this place on the 6th December 1805. He suffered several weeks with incredible patience and fortitude under the effects of a severe wound received in the great and memorable seafight off Trafalgar. He was 36 years old.
His brother officers on this station have consecrated this humble but sincere testimony of their sense of his distinguished merit and of their regret for his premature fate.
Militavit non sine gloria nec paucis flebilis occidit.
Worth and Buckland
To the memory of Lieutenants Thomas Worth and John Buckland of the Royal Marine Artillery, who were killed by the same shot on the 23rd November 1810, while directing the Howitzer Boats in an attack on the Enemy’s Flotilla in Cadiz Bay.
Their brother officers on the same station have caused this stone to be erected as a tribute of respect to two who were the brightest ornaments of their Corps.
The following was on the website of The Graveyard Detective
In sacred memory of the eleven very gallant sailors of HM Torpedo Boat 96 who were suddenly called to God while faithfully carrying out their patrol duties in the Straits of Gibraltar in the early morning of November 1st 1915.
Chief Gunner John Sumner, RN; Gunner Chas Challenger, RN; Jas Harvey, Chief ERA; Ed Rose, Petty Officer; Frank L Ramsay, ERA, RNR; George H Life, Leading Stoker; Chas Smith, Stoker, 1st Class; Mark Webb, Stoker 1st Class’ Hy C Pynn,AB; WinBolton, AB
Oh think! To step on shore and that shore Heaven,
To take hold of a hand and that God’s hand,
To breath a new air and find it celestial air,
To feel invigorated and know it-immortality!
To pass from the storm and tempest to the unbroken calm,
To wake up and find it glory.
“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life”.
“Underneath are the Everlasting Army”.