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On the quarter deck of his flagship, the Victory, a small, slender figure gazed out at the horizon.
He wore a smart blue coat with gold embroidered decorations and a dark cocked hat.
He had only one arm, and if you looked closely, you might have noticed that his right eye was dull and sightless.
All his life, he had waited for this moment.
Growing up in a sleepy village at the edge of England, he had always loved stories of the sea.
He had joined the Royal Navy when he was 12, sailing to the Arctic, the Caribbean, India and North America.
He had won fame and honor in battle after battle, losing an arm and the sight in one eye and becoming one of the most famous men in the world.
But this was the supreme challenge, the hour of destiny.
A single titanic showdown to decide the mastery of the seas once and for all.
He nodded to one of his lieutenants.
A Moment later, the first of 31 little flags began to climb up the masts, sending a signal to the rest of the fleet.
England expects that every man will do his duty.
And on ship after ship, men began to cheer, raising their voices, shaking their fists in the air, their hearts pounding with passion and pride.
Now more than ever, they were ready.
And Dominic, after that reading, my heart too is pounding with passion and pride because that is the opening of your new book aimed at children, but a brilliant read that I think would be hugely enjoyed by all patriotic British adults as well.
Nelson, hero of the seas.
And you've described it as A New Life and Times of Britain's Greatest Heroes.
Out now for readers of all ages.