On this day: Oct 21 1915
To the Editor of The Times. Sir, The 110th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, occurring at the height of the Great War, provides a suitable occasion for recording the names of the last survivors of the British, French, and Spanish vessels engaged in the battle. Probably the last British survivor and certainly the last officer, was Lieutenant-Colonel James Fynmore, RM, who died at Peckham on April 15, 1887, aged 93. He was a first-class volunteer on the Africa, a battleship which suffered so severely in action with the Intrépide that she nearly foundered in the great storm that followed the battle. Col Fynmore entered the Marines in 1808 and retired 40 years later. He received the medal for Trafalgar granted in 1848, and was the son of Major (then Captain) James Fynmore, Senior Officer of Marines in the same ship at Trafalgar.
The last French survivor was Louis André Manuel Cartigny, who died at Hyères on March 21, 1892, aged 100. He was a powder-monkey on the Redoubtable and was slightly wounded. He was taken prisoner and remained a captive on board the hulks at Plymouth and in the war prisons at Dartmoor and Stapledon for some years. On being exchanged, he returned to France and was attached to the “Seamen of the Guard”, with whom he was present at Napoleon I’s adieu to the Grand Army in 1814. During the last years of his life he was the landlord of a café at Hyères. Napoleon III decorated him with the Legion of Honour and Queen Victoria sent a wreath to be placed on his grave.
The last Spanish survivor was Gaspar Costela Vasquez, who died at San Fernando, Cadiz, in April, 1892, aged 104. He was present at Trafalgar on the Santa Ana. For many years he lived in the Convalescent Hospital of the garrison at San Fernando. His funeral was attended by the principal officers and men of the naval and military forces and of the Marines.
It will thus be seen that the last Englishman survived the battle 81½ years, the last Frenchman and last Spaniard 86½ years. It is not improbable, therefore, that one or two of the naval veterans of the Great War of today may survive till the 21st century. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, n kynaston gaskell, 30 Alderney Street, SW, Oct 19.