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Wednesday 16 January, 10pm
Trafalgar is remembered for Britain's defeat of the French navy and for the death of Nelson at the moment of victory. But Trafalgar Battle Surgeon takes an alternative view of the battle. This drama follows its course through the eyes of HMS Victory's surgeon William Beatty and his team on the lowest decks of the ship.
The film, directed by Justin Hardy (who made Princes in the Tower) and starring Francis Magee as Beatty and Roger Daltrey as his assistant, is based on the detailed journals left by Beatty and his contemporaries.
Thanks to Nelson's brutal tactics, they faced the toughest day of their lives. And just when they thought that it couldn't get any worse, a new patient arrived. Nelson had been shot by a French sniper as he walked the deck at the height of the battle. The film poses the question: why, if Beatty was able to save over 100 crew members that day, did he not even attempt to treat Nelson?
Made in association with the Wellcome Trust and based on new academic research drawn from primary source material, Trafalgar Battle Surgeon is a fresh look at the true heroes of the battle.
When to watch
Find out when Trafalgar Battle Surgeon is on TV
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