Famous Fighters

TS_history2 15/9/05 12:46 pm Page 40

TIMESAVER BRITISH HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS Famous men

Famous fighters

1 Use the clues to complete the 1 crossword with the words from cathedral the box. 2 admiral battle captain cathedral 3 invade telescope victory

4 1 a big, important church 2 when you look through this, 5 far things seem near 3 an important officer in the navy* 4 a big fight 6 5 the most important person on a ship 7 6 when fighters go into a country to win that country 7 the moment when you win a war 2 What was Admiral Nelson’s first name? Find it in the completed crossword. __H ______

Admiral Nelson (1758–1805)

Nelson was a great sailor. At 21 he had his own ship. I really do not Then Britain went to war with the French leader see the signal! Napoleon. Nelson lost his right eye in the Battle of Corsica. But he was a good captain and soon became an admiral. He lost his right arm in the Battle of Tenerife. In 1789 he destroyed nearly all the French ships in the Battle of the Nile. In the 1790s Nelson stopped fighting for a while to visit his girlfriend, Lady Hamilton, in Naples.

In the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson was orderered to take his ship out of danger. (Ships sent orders using flags in those days. They were called signals.) Nelson put his telescope to his blind* eye, and said ‘I really do not see the signal.’ He stayed, fought, and won the battle.

In 1805 Nelson was sent to stop Napoleon, who was invading Britain. In the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson’s 27 ships fought 33 French and Spanish ships. Nelson won the battle, and Britain was safe. But during the fighting a French sailor shot him. Nelson died on his ship The Victory. They sent his body back to England. He was buried in Saint* Paul’s Cathedral. Trafalgar Square in London was built in memory of the battle.

40 TIMESAVER BRITISH HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS © MARY GLASGOW MAGAZINES, AN IMPRINT OF SCHOLASTIC INC. TS_history2 15/9/05 12:46 pm Page 41

TIMESAVER BRITISH HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS Famous men

3 Read the text about Nelson. Complete these sentences with the correct names. 1 Nelson lost an eye at a sea battle near the French island of __Corsica ______. 5 Nelson died in the ______.

2 Nelson lost an arm while he was attacking the French on the island of ______.

3 Nelson destroyed nearly all the French ships in the ______.

4 In the ______Nelson did not follow orders.

6 Nelson’s ship was the ______.

7 Nelson was buried in ______’______.

8 Nelson’s girlfriend was ______. __a ______4 What did they put Nelson’s body in to take it to England? Put the letters in circles in activity 3 in order to find out. ______

5 Read the text about Wellington. Complete these sentences with the correct names. 1 Napoleon escaped from the island of __Elba ______. 2 Napoleon didn’t escape from the island of ______.

3 In 1815 Wellington won the Battle of ______.

4 Napoleon lost the war against ______in 1814.

5 Britain sent an army to help the ______and ______fight Napoleon.

6 Wellington’s cleverest enemy was ______. The Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)

When Napoleon invaded Spain and Portugal, 6 Use the letters in circles Britain sent their best general, Wellington, to and squares in activity 5. Portugal with a big army. They wanted to help Complete the sentence in the Portuguese and Spanish people. the picture of Wellington.

In 1812 Napoleon sent most of his army to invade Two things in Britain Russia. Wellington attacked the French who were are named after me and still in Spain and they soon went back to France. my most famous battle: In 1814 Napoleon lost the war against Russia. Wellington He was sent to the island of Elba. ______When Napoleon escaped from Elba, Wellington and went to attack him. In 1815, in the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium, Napoleon fought Wellington Waterloo and lost. Napoleon was sent to the island of Saint ______! Helena. He did not escape this time. Wellington returned to Britain and was made a Duke.

Personal Project - Were there any famous army or navy fighters in your country? What battles did they win or lose? - Find out more about one of them. * What is it in your language? Find out!