A letter written by Nelson a few days before Trafalgar contains instructions for providing his sailors with the makings for some hearty meals:

The Vice-Admiral made sure his sailors went into the clash with full bellies, helping to ensure victory despite being outnumbered by the Franco-Spanish fleet.

The letter, recently donated to the Norfolk Nelson Museum in Great Yarmouth by an anonymous benefactor, reveals the asked a supply vessel for more raisins and suet one week before the big day, in 1805.

The suet could have been used in a main meal, or the ingredients could have been combined to make a steamed suet and fruit pudding similar to Spotted Dick.

Lord Nelson’s brief note, dated October 14, 1805, was written from the warship HMS Minotaur to the purser of the HMS Ajax, A Jackson. Part of it reads: ‘Supply the Minotaur with one…suet and fruit.’

James Davey, of the Greenwich Maritime Institute, said: “Nelson’s letter would have referred to raisins, or possibly currants, as both could be stored for months at a time. It was standard practice to stock ships up with such dried fruit.”

Nelson’s request, which had been stuck to a piece of card, will go on display at the Norfolk museum in January in an exhibition about the admiral.

Just goes to show that Nelson paid attention to logistics as well as tactics.

***Stop sniggering. It’s for real.