HMS Sheffield


This painting by Vincent shows the helicopters trying to evacuate the crew from the burning Sheffield. Sheffield had been hit by an Exocet missile fired from a Super Etendard. Two missiles were heading in the ship's direction one of which splashed into the sea half a mile off her port beam but the other hit Sheffield amidships. Ironically, the Exocet missile which hit Sheffield did not detonate, but it hit an area that caused an uncontrollable fire to break out and also eliminated the ship's ability to fight the fire by fracturing its water main. Twenty members of crew died. Although abandoned straightaway, the ship burned for many more days and only sank six days later. She was the first British ship to be sunk due to enemy action since the Second World War.


Falklands War | Falklands War Images



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by Stephen Luscombe