OK, so what exactly does "Kiss Me Hardy" me ????

Wasn't it supposed to be 'Kismet Hardy'.... I'm sure i read that somewhere?!

So what does kismet mean?????????

I do agree with Michael68, but when I was on tour at Portsmouth, I did remember an officer make a comment, He suggested that Hardy and Nelson had a bet going, and whoever died first would have to be kissed in public by he who was left behind? Hardy believed that GOD protected Nelson, and that he would be unharmed until the job had been done, and Queen and Country were safe, so on Hardy's deathbed, a kiss from Nelson, would guarantee a place in heaven, however it was Nelson who was mortally wounded first, now I dont see much truth in this, but you just never know.

I have just downloaded a free book from the Project Gutenburg ebook site, which is 'The Death of Lord Nelson by William Beatty'. Beatty was of course the surgeon who attended Nelson on his death bed. It was written in 1807 so it was only two years after Trafalgar.

Beatty certainly quotes Nelson as saying 'Kiss Me Hardy' just before Hardy returned to the quarter deck to fight the ship. It should be remembered that in those days embracing each other was the normal thing to do in polite company, particularly when meeting somebody or,as in this case, when saying farewell and that presumably was what Nelson knew he was doing.

According to Beatty he continued to talk for about 15 minutes after Hardy left, asking that Emma Hamilton would be cared for, together with her daughter. He continually repeated the phrase 'Thank God I ahve done my duty' until he could speak no more, so they were his final words. He then succumbed to his wounds and died while Hardy was on deck commanding Victory and doing his duty.

I hope this helps clarify the situation from the viewpoint of a contemporary account.

Mike T

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