A group of Bermuda Sea Cadets will get a taste of what Trafalgar Day is all about tomorrow when they take part in 200th anniversary celebrations in Norfolk, England.

Tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of Admiral Horatio Nelson's British victory over the French and Spanish fleets during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Eleven cadets from T.S. Admiral Somers have already left for England to meet with the Norfolk cadet corps T.S. Vancouver, who are stationed near the birthplace of Admiral Nelson.

Many Bermuda-made ships were captured during the Napoleonic Wars, but a Bermuda-built schooner, the HMS Pickle, played a special role in the war.

When the British defeated the French (despite Admiral Nelson's death), the hardy cedar constructed HMS Pickle was sent on a 1,000 mile journey from Cape Trafalgar in Southern Spain to England to report the victory.

?Trafalgar Day is the single most important event on the Royal Navy calendar,? said First Lieutenant Michael Frith of sea cadet corps T.S. Admiral Somers located in St. George's.

The sea cadets are a military-style youth organisation that is affiliated with the British Royal Navy. There are currently 22 boys and girls, ages nine to 18 years old, in T.S. Admiral Somers.

The cadets wear Royal Navy reserve uniforms, and they are focused on the ocean. They learn fire safety, seamanship skills, knot tying, rowing, sailing, kayaking and pulling.

A replica of the HMS Pickle has been doing a tour of England since the summer called ?The Nelson Tour 2005'. In Bermuda, there was a re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar held recently, which the sea cadets took part in, and there will be another one in Norfolk.

?The Battle of Trafalgar is an important part of our naval history and it definitely has some Bermuda ties as well,? said T.S. Admiral Somers Commanding Officer Dwayne Trott.

?We were talking with the escort officer about the fact that the Bermuda sea cadets don't have as much direct contact with the Royal Navy anymore,? said Mr. Frith. ?When I was a cadet there was a lot more of that.

?T.S. Vancouver have bent over backwards to help us come to England,? said Mr. Frith. ?They are paying for our living expenses while we are there, including accommodation and food and they will be taking us on tours around the area.

?We said ?if you are serious, it is a lot of work'. We told them what was needed from them. We told them ?Every time we have a fundraiser you need to be there, or at least be there most of the time'.

To earn the $26,000 needed for the trip, the cadets packed groceries on the three busiest days of the year, held bakesales, a pot luck dinner and went on a trash-a-thon, among other things.

Leron hopes to one day go to college to become a mortician. Mr. Trott said the fundraising has also helped to bring the sea cadets back into the public eye.

?This whole journey has helped to heighten the awareness of what sea cadets are about,? Mr. Trott said. ?It has given the public a first hand view of seeing the kids.

Mr. Trott is also a graduate of the programme having come up through cub scouts and then the sea scouts. He said the sea cadets not only learn how to sail, they also learn life-skills, discipline and leadership.

?Wearing the uniform encourages discipline and a sense of pride,? said Mr. Trott. ?We teach them simple things like giving up your seat to a lady on the bus.

There are two other sea cadet units on the island. T.S. Venture in Somerset suffered a setback when their leader passed away, but they will soon be up and running again, according to Mr. Frith.

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