At the Battle of Trafalgar, Lord Nelson and Hardy were walking around
the deck of HMS Victory.
Hardy says to Lord Nelson, “My Lord, I’ve been meaning to ask you on
a number of occasions, whenever we go into battle, you wear your red
tunic. Why is that?”
Nelson answers,
“Well Hardy, it’s like this. If, in the heat of the battle if I’m
wounded, the colour of my tunic, being red, will camouflage the blood,
and the men won’t be afraid.”
Hardy replies,
“What a damn good idea my Lord. I think I’ll wear my brown
trousers.”