Two Norfolk Admirals – Kelvin van Hasselt

We’ve all heard of Admiral Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Who has heard of Admiral Jacky Fisher? Yet Jacky Fisher, a household name in 1905, arguably accomplished more for the Royal Navy and country. Nelson was born in Norfolk and buried in St Paul’s Cathedral and Fisher was born in Ceylon and lies buried in a small overgrown Norfolk churchyard.

Nelson made Britain safe from invasion by Napoleon – gave Britain naval supremacy for 100 years.

Fisher predicted 8 years before, to within a month, the start date of the First World War – ‘Armageddon’ as he described it.

Fisher transformed the Britain’s Royal Navy, Britain’s shipyards and Britain’s defence industry – and much else besides – to face the threat from France and then the new threat from Germany.

So does not Fisher deserve to be remembered as a Second Nelson ?

AND do Fisher’s ideas have fresh relevance today – with the new threat from Russia ?

Kelvin van Hasselt compares their careers and tells the story of what Admiral Fisher achieved to bear comparison with Nelson as the most influential figure in British naval history – leaving the audience to decide.