I WAS in Spain when the Battle of Trafalgar was commemorated on the Thames.

I felt immensely proud to be British as we watched the event on satellite TV in a local taverna.

"Ees a happy day, yes/no?" asked our Spanish landlord.

"Yes, it's a celebration of the day England overcame the threat of invasion," I replied.

I have no idea if he understood, but he cheered along with dozens of other patrons of various nationalities as 'Nelson' led his fleet into battle.

"Thees eez the day England defeated France, yes?" our patron enquired.

"That's it."

"And wheech side was the Blue Team?"

I was beginning to feel like Basil Fawlty when I suddenly realised what he was talking about.

Rather than French and English, the two armadas were referred to as Red Team and Blue Team and despite the BBC's insistence that this was not a re-enactment, that is exactly how it was described by commentators on Sky.

What is it about the English that makes us so apologetic for our history?

We didn't enslave the French, exploit them or plunder their mineral wealth. We defended ourselves against invasion and won. Is that so bad?

Why do we need to deny it?

It won't be long before our children come home from school asking if Hitler was on the Grey Team or the Khaki Team.

  • THE views expressed on this page are those of Vic Barlow and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Express.