"England expects that every man will do his duty" was a signal sent by Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from his ship HMS Victory as the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) was about to commence. Trafalgar was the decisive naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. It gave the United Kingdom control of the seas, removing all possibility of a French invasion and conquest of Britain. The phrase has become extremely well-known in Britain as a result of Lord Nelson's fame and the importance of the Battle of Trafalgar in British history. The phrase is known so widely in Britain that it has entered the British popular consciousness. Today "England expects…", as an abbreviated version of the phrase, is often adapted for use in the media, especially in relation to the expectations for the victory of English sporting teams.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1805: Napoleonic Wars: Lord Nelson led the British fleet to victory in the Battle of Trafalgar, defeating Pierre-Charles Villeneuve and his combined French and Spanish navy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar)

1824: English stonemason, bricklayer and inventor Joseph Aspdin patented Portland cement. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Aspdin)

1854: Florence Nightingale and a staff of 38 nurses were sent to the Crimean War. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale)

1944: World War II: HMAS Australia was hit in the first kamikaze attack; 30 crewmen were killed, including the commanding officer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze)

1945: Argentine military officer and politician Juan Domingo Peron married popular actress Eva Duarte, better known as Evita. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%C3%B3n)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration." -- Thomas Alva Edison" (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Alva_Edison)