HMS Egret

HMS Egret was a Royal Navy sloop.  Launched on 31st May 1938, she was designed to carry out U-boat patrols in the Atlantic.

On 27th August 1943 she became the first ever ship to be sunk by a guided missile. HMS Egret had been deployed with other ships on anti-submarine operations around the entrance to the Bay of Biscay. 

The ships were attacked by a squadron of Dornier Do 217s carrying Henschel Hs 293 glider bombs. The covering destroyer HMCS Athabaskan was heavily damaged by a bomb and HMS Egret was sunk with the loss of 194 of her crew. A further 4 RAF electronics specialists on board were also killed. There were just 35 survivors.

Simon has drawn a fine evocative study of HMS Egret in tribute.

'I was fully aware of the fate of HMS Egret, as surely as everyone else connected with this little ship is. However, that's not what I wanted to illustrate in my drawing.  I wanted a faithfully accurate depiction of her life as a convoy escort sloop, as her company of Officers and Men and those of other escort sloops and frigates knew her; desperately hunting down German U-Boats in those merciless, relentlessly bitter months of the war at sea. 

As with all my works, the drawing is entirely original in pose and angle; with photographs only used to detail the camouflage and ship’s ID serial codes worn by HMS Egret. It is my own interpretation of the many such patrols she and the little ships of her sister classes undertook. This drawing is humbly tended as a tribute to the gallant service of HMS Egret and her brave company'

HMS Egret's sinking led to the anti-U-boat patrols in the Bay of Biscay being suspended.
The drawing has recently been presented to Phyllis Clemens whose husband was killed in the attack. She was recently featured in an article by the Daily Telegraph. More Details>

Simon has not accepted payment for the drawing. A donation for every print sold will be made to the Royal Navy Royal Marines Widows Association.

http://www.rnrmwidowsassociation.org/

Limited Editions

200 Artist signed limited edition prints: £55

Image 14”x 7”  Paper 17”x 11”

Postage & packing extra

Original drawing now SOLD