Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Boston man saves Nelson's life.

An undated newspaper cutting, probably Edwardian, recounts that a Boston man named Gunby had saved Admiral Nelson's life at the Battle of Copenhagen. Standing by the Admiral as one of his bodyguards, Gunby used his own sword to ward off a blow aimed at Nelson by " a fierce Danish officer..........cutting him dead at the hero's feet".


Gunby, " a splendid specimen of the old British man-o'-war's man" - he was "of remarkable physique, standing 6'4." was there upon presented by Nelson with the dead man's sword, and at the same time rated as coxswain, which post he filled for some years. He also gave him a walking stick carved in imitation of a four stranded rope. These relics, the report said, were still in the possession of Gunby's son, then aged 86 and living at Mill Hill in Wide Bargate.

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