A LARGE fragment of the Union Jack flown from Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar is to go under the hammer for an expected £100,000.
The historic piece was one of two flown from HMS Victory when Lord Horatio Nelson was shot by a French sniper in 1805.
Admiral Nelson had issued orders that all his ships going into battle should not only fly the St George’s Ensign but also a Union Jack from their fore top-gallant stay.
HMS Victory flew two Union flags and a St George’s Ensign, which were returned to England with the ship and the body of Nelson.
These battle ensigns formed part of the ceremonials that marked his state funeral in January 1806.
But at the end of the funeral before folding the flags and placing them on the coffin, those who had served under Nelson had torn off a considerable part of the largest flag to share among them as a memento.
Most of the surviving fragments are smaller in size and have appeared at auction while similar fragments are found at the National Maritime Museum and other collections.
The 86cm by 92 cm fragment forms part of the bottom-right or top-left quadrant of the Union flag.
It forms part of a group of 79 lots entirely dedicated to Nelson and Trafalgar.
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