Summary The story of the HMS Coventry, which was bombed during the Falklands conflict and sunk in a mere 20 minutes. On 2nd April 1982 Argentinean troops invaded the Falkland Islands. The HMS Coventry, a key warship in the British fleet was sent to join the conflict. Despite knowing the odds were against them, they were a successful and confident crew under a trusted leader - Captain Hart Dyke. As other ships were targeted around them, the Coventry felt invincible. But their luck was about to run out. At the height of the conflict, Coventry was sent on a suicide mission to deliberately act as bait for enemy bomber-fighters. Obligingly, on May 25th the Argentineans sent waves of Skyhawks armed with British made bombs to take out the British destroyer. At first Coventry had the upper hand, claiming three kills with her Sea Dart missiles, but just as Captain Hart-Dyke thought he had weathered the storm, the Argentineans launched one last attack... Three bombs hit the Coventry, killing 19 men and leaving many of the crew injured. Within 20 minutes the ship had capsized. The survivors evacuated in darkness, through choking black smoke and buckled ladders and finally had to jump overboard into the freezing South Atlantic. This film uses his testimony, together with some of his ship's company in a combination of interviews, dramatic reconstructions and archive, allowing us to witness the unfolding war through their eyes. View more details
Directed : Ian Duncan
Written : Unknown
Stars : David Bark-Jones Steve Chaplin Robert Lowe Alan Medcroft
Genres : War Documentary
Release date : May 31, 2007
Countries of origin : United Kingdom
Language : English
Production companies : Windfall Films
Summary The story of the HMS Coventry, which was bombed during the Falklands conflict and sunk in a mere 20 minutes. On 2nd April 1982 Argentinean troops invaded the Falkland Islands. The HMS Coventry, a key warship in the British fleet was sent to join the conflict. Despite knowing the odds were against them, they were a successful and confident crew under a trusted leader - Captain Hart Dyke. As other ships were targeted around them, the Coventry felt invincible. But their luck was about to run out. At the height of the conflict, Coventry was sent on a suicide mission to deliberately act as bait for enemy bomber-fighters. Obligingly, on May 25th the Argentineans sent waves of Skyhawks armed with British made bombs to take out the British destroyer. At first Coventry had the upper hand, claiming three kills with her Sea Dart missiles, but just as Captain Hart-Dyke thought he had weathered the storm, the Argentineans launched one last attack... Three bombs hit the Coventry, killing 19 men and leaving many of the crew injured. Within 20 minutes the ship had capsized. The survivors evacuated in darkness, through choking black smoke and buckled ladders and finally had to jump overboard into the freezing South Atlantic. This film uses his testimony, together with some of his ship's company in a combination of interviews, dramatic reconstructions and archive, allowing us to witness the unfolding war through their eyes. View more details
Genres : War Documentary
Release date : May 31, 2007
Countries of origin : United Kingdom
Language : English
Production companies : Windfall Films
