Captain Sherbrook's Action, 31 December 1942, c.1943 (oil painting)

Creator: Charles Pears An action of late 1942 during the Second World War. Captain R. H. V. Sherbrook of the destroyer 'Onslow' was in overall command of a group of 11 escort ships that was accompanying 14 vessels en route from Scotland to Russia. On New Year's Eve the convoy was attacked within the Arctic Circle by the German cruiser 'Hipper' and the pocket battleship 'Lützov'. A four-hour engagement ensued, during which the 'Onslow' was badly hit and Sherbrook wounded. Despite suffering heavy damage, the escorts managed to keep the German vessels away from the convoy, until they were relieved by the British cruisers 'Sheffield' and 'Jamaica' which were in the area. After the German destroyer 'Friedrich Eckholdt' was sunk and the 'Hipper' damaged, the German forces broke off the action and the convoy continued unscathed. Sherbrook was awarded the Victoria Cross.