Sailor's letter rewrites Lord Nelson's famous last words

ANOTHER version of Lord Nelson's last words instead of the famous "Kiss me Hardy" has emerged in an account of his death 219 years ago.

- James Podesta

The naval hero was fatally shot at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, having urged his men to "do their duty". He was carried below deck on HMS Victory and died a short while later.

Six days afterwards George Sievers, master at arms on HMS Belleisle which was second in the British lee [south] column of ships, disclosed that Nelson had stayed alive long enough to "be informed of the extent of the glorious victory he had gained".

Deathbed

Sievers wrote that fleet commander Nelson, 47, uttered the emotive final words: "Thanks be to God I have but lived this day and now I die content." The official Royal Navy account states that Nelson's last words on his deathbed were "Kiss me Hardy" to Sir Thomas Hardy, Victory's flag captain.

Sievers also claimed that Nelson had been shot twice at the battle against the combined French and Spanish fleets.

Firstly in his side - so he was carried below deck, where he insisted on returning on deck only to be then fatally wounded.