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Sub Lt Andrew Perry on HMS Gloucester hitting the Silkworm missile and his experience of it on board ship. (RNM)

Transcript: “Before the Sea Dart went, the Captain actually said ‘Hands to Action Stations! Hands to Action Stations! Ship’s come under attack from Silkworm missiles’ - or something. I’m sure he said that prior to hearing this whoosh, whoosh. Could be wrong could have muddled that up. But I’m sure there was a specific reason why I was absolutely terrified when I heard these whoosh whooshes (Laughs). But it didn’t last for very long, but it doesn’t take very long to scare yourself to death, because the guy I was in the cabin with, he was also in his rack at the time and he said “Ooh, that’s our dart! Cor this must be serious or something.” And I was just going “Oh (Deleted).” and trying to get my boots on (Laughs). But as I said, by the time I got to the Ops Room they’d shot it down. (Did you all let up a cheer?) Yeah, well, I don’t know, that’s something else. I remember there being a spontaneous sort of, I don’t know whether it was just a sigh of relief or – there was definitely a spontaneous sort of cheer, I’m sure of it, and I’ve heard someone else say that – but I’ve heard someone else say ‘Oh, don’t be silly there wasn’t’. I suppose it depends where you were. But I’m pretty sure there was, yeah. Yeah, it was quite – and that was it, really everyone was on such a high it was quite incredible. Everyone was walking around with big grins on their face. It was like the ship had justified its existence and proved she could do it and again it was another one of those high spots.”

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