Burial at sea.

Repro ID: PY7467

Description: For every sailor who died at sea from the wounds and injuries they received in battle, hundreds more succumbed to diseases. The voyages of even small naval vessels often experienced the deaths of one or more crew members. The difficulties of preserving bodies many days or weeks away from the shores of Britain required burial at sea to be routinely undertaken. Only those of great importance were brought to land for formal burial.

Creator: James S Virtue (publisher)

Date: 19th century

Credit line: National Maritime Museum, London