Navaleye
I am interested in your quote:
At the time of impact on AC, Hermes was on a reciprocal to Invincible 2000 yds off her port bow. Atlantic Conveyor was 14 miles to port. Neither Hermes or Invincible were in any danger from this attack, if they had been both Exocets would have ditched. AC was defenseless but was only hit by one Exocet which did detonate.
I remember the evening of the attack vividly.
I had just been released from flying duties and had hurried down to the wardroom for the first of my rationed two pints of CSB (Courage Special Bitter) per night. The wardroom bar in HMS Hermes opened at 18:00 and closed a couple of hours later as it was the dormitory for the entire flying group onboard. (5 Deck was evacuated because of the anticipated submarine attack.)
Shortly after taking my first sip the air raid siren went off and we were all told to "Close all red openings" (Shut and clip every hatch) followed by "Everybody HIT THE DECK!!!!" Followed by more alarmingly "MAKE SURE ALL THOSE CLIPS ARE REALLY TIGHT!"
I remember the wardroom bar being closed with the shutters coming down and me cuddling my precious pint of CSB lying flat on the deck like it was the most important thing of all time! I remember the noise of chaff rockets being fired and thinking "where is this missile going to come inboard?"
The wardroom in HMS Hermes was quite close to the waterline and I could quite literally imagine the weapon coming inboard through the wardroom at any moment.
After what seemed like an eternity we were given the all clear but I remember being deeply traumatized by the being inside a confined space with absolutely no idea of what was going on outside. (Thank goodness for the pint of CSB which I am glad to report survived the situation!)
An aircraft handler from our squadron later said he saw the missile hit Atlantic Conveyer whilst he was on deck and he was so stressed he he bit through his back teeth and required dental treatment from our onboard toothwright!
If the AC was 14 miles away how could we have been so involved in the action?
ES