May 1941. The Royal Navy’s Eastern Mediterranean fleet has its back to the wall.
Hearts of Steel traces a history of the Royal Navy from a fresh perspective beginning in 1918 to World War 2 and its darkest hour.
During peacetime we sail with the crews of HMS Effingham and Hawkins, Flagships to the East Indies Station, cruising the Indian Ocean to protect and support the British Empire. As WW2 looms we join the hand picked crew of Tribal Destroyer HMS Nubian.
Nubian and her crew are soon in action in the battle for Norway before assignment to the crack 14th Destroyer Flotilla destined for the Eastern Mediterranean fleet. She and her crew participate in fleet actions & combined operations including the Battle of Matapan the biggest sea battle since Trafalgar. With the fleets crews at breaking point they face the overwhelming might of the Luftwaffe, fighting off relentless dive bombings in the Battle for Crete.
‘Sink, burn and destroy. Let nothing pass.’ Signal to Destroyer Captains, 8 May 1943, Admiral ABC Cunningham.
Cover photo. Destroyers in line astern in the Mediterranean. Kimberly, Kingston as seen from Jervis. Dec. 1941 © IWM
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