What is the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar and who is buried there?

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The Trafalgar Cemetery, just outside the old town walls on Trafalgar Road, was consecrated in 1798 and used for burials until 1814. Despite its name, only two men buried there died of wounds from the Battle of Trafalgar; most graves are of victims of yellow fever epidemics and other Napoleonic War engagements.
The cemetery lies in the former Southport Ditch, just south of the Charles V Wall on Trafalgar Road, a short walk from the southern end of Main Street. It was consecrated in 1798 as the Southport Ditch Cemetery and was used for burials from 1798 to 1814. It was renamed in memory of the Battle of Trafalgar many years later.
Who is buried there:
Only two graves belong to men who died of wounds received at Trafalgar in 1805: Lieutenant William Forster of the Royal Marines (HMS Mars) and Lieutenant Thomas Norman (HMS Colossus). Most of the dead from the battle were buried at sea, and Nelson's body was taken back to London for a state funeral.
Many of the graves are of victims of the yellow fever epidemics of 1804, 1813 and 1814.
Others commemorate service casualties from sea battles off Algeciras in 1801, Cadiz in 1810 and Malaga in 1812.
In 1932 gravestones from the older St Jago's Cemetery, north of the Charles V Wall, were mounted on the east wall, and a memorial to the Battle of Trafalgar was added in 1992.
Visiting:
The cemetery is maintained by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and is open all year, seven days a week. The Trust lists opening hours of 09:00 to 17:00 and also describes it as open from sunrise to sunset.
Entry is free.
Each year on the Sunday closest to 21 October the Royal Navy holds a ceremony at the cemetery to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. In 2026, 21 October falls on a Wednesday, so the closest Sunday is Sunday 18 October 2026.

What is the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar and who is buried there?

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Who is buried there

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