I hadn't heard of British sailors spitting in disgust at Nelson's funeral. But I have heard that the gun carriage bearing his coffin was pulled by a party of sailors, and that the crowd shouted "We would rather see you here than all these fine gentleman", or words to that effect. And there is a story as well that when the coffin was lowered, the sailors took the Union flag which had covered it and tore it into peices, so each would have a treasured momento of Nelson.

Whether Trafalgar saved England from invasion is another question. A French army might well have landed without opposition, but with our knowledge nowadays of the difficulties of getting a force ashore and of supplying it I feel Boney would have been soundly beaten.

I have to agree with Q - those French and Spanish sailors deserve respect and sympathy as well.