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Today we remember the 20 men who died on board HMS Sheffield 43 years ago while playing their part in the liberation of the Falklands.
On the morning of 4 May 1982, Type 42 destroyer HMS Sheffield was on picket duties to the south-east of the Falklands, protecting the main task force group from Argentine attacks.
She was struck amidships by an Exocet missile from an Argentine Super Etendard aircraft, setting fire to the ship and killing 20 sailors, with 26 more injured.
Firefighting was hampered by damage to the ship’s systems, including water mains, and because of the extent of the damage, the risk to other ships (particularly frigates HM Ships Arrow and Yarmouth) from air attacks and the risk of Sheffield’s own Sea Dart missile magazine exploding, commanding officer Capt Sam Salt took the decision to evacuate the ship some four hours after the strike.
Over the next six days further inspections of the crippled warship (first image) were carried out as fires continued to burn, and on 10 May, while under tow, Sheffield foundered and sank – the first Royal Navy warship lost to enemy action since World War 2.
Her wreck is now an official war grave, and a memorial cairn was erected on a headland on Sea Lion Island, the nearest land to where she lies.
The cairn and cross is subject to a battering from the harsh weather of the Falklands, and is regularly maintained by personnel from the UK forces stationed in the Falklands, by sailors from guardship HMS Clyde, and by volunteers from other Royal Navy vessels visiting the South Atlantic islands.
Sheffield, the first-of-class of the Type 42 destroyers, was the first of four Royal Navy warships lost in the conflict, the others being sister-ship HMS Coventry (19 dead) (second image) and Type 21 frigates HMS Ardent (22 dead) and Antelope (two dead, including bomb-disposal specialist Staff Sgt James Prescott RE).
Other British vessels lost were landing ship RFA Sir Sir Galahad at Bluff Cove (five RFA crew died, along with 43 Army personnel, mainly Welsh Guards), Landing Craft Utility F4 from HMS Fearless (six dead) and MV Atlantic Conveyor (three dead), a commercial container ship taken up from trade (STUFT).
Sheffield’s loss, two days after submarine HMS Conqueror sank Argentine cruiser General Belgrano with the loss of 323 Argentinians, put an end to hopes that there could be a diplomatic solution to the Argentine invasion of the Falklands on 2 April, and in the ensuing conflict 255 members of the British forces died before Argentine forces surrendered on 14 June.
On the morning of 4 May 1982, Type 42 destroyer HMS Sheffield was on picket duties to the south-east of the Falklands, protecting the main task force group from Argentine attacks.
She was struck amidships by an Exocet missile from an Argentine Super Etendard aircraft, setting fire to the ship and killing 20 sailors, with 26 more injured.
Firefighting was hampered by damage to the ship’s systems, including water mains, and because of the extent of the damage, the risk to other ships (particularly frigates HM Ships Arrow and Yarmouth) from air attacks and the risk of Sheffield’s own Sea Dart missile magazine exploding, commanding officer Capt Sam Salt took the decision to evacuate the ship some four hours after the strike.
Over the next six days further inspections of the crippled warship (first image) were carried out as fires continued to burn, and on 10 May, while under tow, Sheffield foundered and sank – the first Royal Navy warship lost to enemy action since World War 2.
Her wreck is now an official war grave, and a memorial cairn was erected on a headland on Sea Lion Island, the nearest land to where she lies.
The cairn and cross is subject to a battering from the harsh weather of the Falklands, and is regularly maintained by personnel from the UK forces stationed in the Falklands, by sailors from guardship HMS Clyde, and by volunteers from other Royal Navy vessels visiting the South Atlantic islands.
Sheffield, the first-of-class of the Type 42 destroyers, was the first of four Royal Navy warships lost in the conflict, the others being sister-ship HMS Coventry (19 dead) (second image) and Type 21 frigates HMS Ardent (22 dead) and Antelope (two dead, including bomb-disposal specialist Staff Sgt James Prescott RE).
Other British vessels lost were landing ship RFA Sir Sir Galahad at Bluff Cove (five RFA crew died, along with 43 Army personnel, mainly Welsh Guards), Landing Craft Utility F4 from HMS Fearless (six dead) and MV Atlantic Conveyor (three dead), a commercial container ship taken up from trade (STUFT).
Sheffield’s loss, two days after submarine HMS Conqueror sank Argentine cruiser General Belgrano with the loss of 323 Argentinians, put an end to hopes that there could be a diplomatic solution to the Argentine invasion of the Falklands on 2 April, and in the ensuing conflict 255 members of the British forces died before Argentine forces surrendered on 14 June.
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Posted 7 mo ago
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As I remember, the Sheffield's build was criticized after being stuck because she was mostly aluminum, which burned faster and hotter than steel. Which, in turn, hampered firefighting on board the ship.
The Exocet missile was a wakeup call that went unheeded. 5 years later, Iraq fired one that hit the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf.
The Exocet missile was a wakeup call that went unheeded. 5 years later, Iraq fired one that hit the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf.
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