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| July 27th | John Pollard Birth) |
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Cawsand – born John Pollard (1787 – 1868) was a Royal Navy officer who, when a midshipman in HMS Victory under Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, is credited with being the man who killed the Frenchman who shot Nelson. In 1805, when HMS Victory engaged in battle with the French ship Redoutable, French snipers shot Nelson who later died. At some point during the battle, Pollard was joined by another midshipman, Francis Edward Collingwood. Both men returned fire on the French ship but Pollard was credited with killing the sniper who had been identified as the one to have shot Nelson. Pollard was later brought before Captain Thomas Hardy and congratulated for avenging Nelson’s death and Pollard was promoted to Lieutenant in 1806. Although he continued to serve in the Royal Navy, he was given no further advancement and later joined the Irish Coastguard. |
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