As the eyes of the nation focused on Portsmouth and the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar last summer, Richard Baker was at sea.

Rather than take part in the pomp and ceremony, the former news reader and radio broadcaster was instead presenting a talk about Nelson aboard a classical music cruise.

This week, better late than never, Baker will be giving his talk The Music of Nelson and His Navy at Epsom Playhouse.

A classical music expert who recently published a fantastic new book, Music of the Sea, Baker has enjoyed a long association with both the navy and music.

His father took him to the Last Night of the Proms in 1936 when he was just 11-years-old. Baker was hooked and went on to introduce the Last Night of the Proms on the BBC for 32 years.

In between, Baker served as a gunnery officer in the navy during the Second World War after signing up in 1944. He served most of his time on HMS Peacock, which ran convoys across the Atlantic and into the Baltic.

"We were a lucky ship," said Baker. "U-Boat strikes on the Russian convoys were notorious ships would get hit all the time but we never did. I remember one ship sailing alongside us was not so lucky, it got hit and sank."

Understandably, Baker has been fascinated with the navy ever since, a passion that fits in nicely with his other great love.

"Music was a big part of naval life in Nelson's era and remains so to this day," explained Baker.

"Tunes like Rule Britannia and Henry Purcell's Britain Strike Home were played on the ships before the Battle of Trafalgar.

"They were used to instil a bit of back-bone in the sailors, but below decks the ship's bands also offered entertainment."

Baker has a whole host of anecdotes to share from this period, illustrated with musical interludes and slides. His favourite revelation is that Lord Nelson didn't even like music.

He said: "Nelson criticised an admiral he served under in the West Indies for playing the violin on ship. He argued that he couldn't direct battle operations while directing his own orchestra below deck.

"It was his lover, Lady Hamilton who changed his appreciation of music. She would sing at the drop of a hat and added verses to Rule Britannia, praising Nelson's virtues."

Richard Baker, The Music of Nelson and His Navy, 8pm, Wednesday, January, 11, Epsom, Ewell and District Literary Society, Epsom Playhouse. Tickets £6 on the door.