“FRACTION OF A SECOND”

5 min readOct 31, 2022

In a fraction of a second, they are projected into eternity~ unknown.

The story behind the painting.

**FRACTION OF A SECOND : by Dave Coburn**

FRACTION OF A SECOND : Leading Diver Ray Sinclair fixing plastic expolsives to the armed warhead of HMS Coventry’s remaining Sea Dart missile 26th November 1982

South African-born artist Dave Coburn was given the commission to record a brief moment in time through his artistic talents.

Dave’s talent as an painter is undeniable. Could he capture with his palette of oil colours a solitary Royal Navy saturation diver sitting astride HMS Coventry’s last Sea Dart missile fixing an explosive pack to the armed warhead?

The artwork had to reflect the darkness, the isolation and the peril of the deep South Atlantic Ocean, where 300ft below the tempestuous waves 13 miles off Pebble Island lay the sacred and honoured war grave, HMS Coventry.

After months of communicating with me and discussing the painting’s historical context, Dave began formulating the idea that I had in mind. A few concept images and the artwork stalled from concept to canvas. In landscape format, the diver astride the missile was insignificant, lost in a vast sea of ocean blackness. Finally, Dave’s wife, Coral Spencer, a renowned artist in her own right, suggested turning the canvas to a portraiture format. A revelation, the diver and the missile became the predominant feature of the artwork. The diving bell hung down from the top frame, and the massive hull of the ship lying on her port side faded into the distant blackness — the perfect composition and perspective.

After a final consult to obtain images of plastic explosives packs with former clearance diver Tony Groom, Dave was now ready to apply paint to the canvas.

Operation Blackleg.

Not long after the Argentine surrender to British armed forces, the Fleet Clearance Diving Team (2) led by Fleet Chief Diver John Dadd, BEM, had played an important part in Operation Corporate. FCDT (2) were to be some of the first military personnel flown back to Britain after hostility ceased and Argentina surrendered.

Watching the runway from the windows of Port Stanley airport in the old departure room we could see the wheels and undercarriage of the Hercules C130 cargo planes as they nearly touched down but were frustratingly forced to turn back due to low-lying dense fog. After a few days of sleeping rough, our team, along with Major General Sir John Jeremy Moore, KCB, OBE, MC & Bar commander of the British land forces during the Falklands War, boarded a fight to Ascension Island. We connected with an RAF VC10 passenger jet. Sitting with our backs to the direction of travel, we headed home.

Landing at Brize Norton to be greeted to a great fanfare of military bands and large banners held high by relieved families, “Welcome home, our heroes”, which I figured must have been for General Moore … but we humbly as only clearance divers can, soak up the adoration.

At 7.00 am on 12th October, the Stena was over the wreck site. The diving bell clump weight was lowered with a Cyclops Pan and tilt video camera attached. The Stena was slowly manoeuvred around the wreck by her dynamic positioning system. Water visibility was good, allowing for a five-hour survey to assess the wreck and establish Coventry lay on her port side, not starboard as previously thought. I was in the diving operations room, viewing the video monitor as the clump weight made contact with the side of the Sea Dart missile. Many worried looks were thrown about by the Officers and Senior rates, but not a word was spoken.

**Screen shot of the remaining Sea Dart missile as the video camera passes over the wreck of HMS Coventry.**

The divers were divided into teams of six men per dive. I was in the second dive 003. Dive 001 was a diving system check and run-through on passage to the Coventry. The team comprised Charles ( Chuck) Edwards. Micheal( Harry) Harrison, Graham (Tug) Wilson, Steve Clegg, Chris (Ginge )David and myself. Chris David early into the dive was to suffer a sizeable underwater explosion(blowback) perforating both eardrums while using the oxy arc cutting gear. As a result, he was decompressed, and Kevan( Dickie) Daber was to take his place in Dive 003

Like anything in life, it is often about time, place and a little luck. As the six divers rotated between diver (1), diver (2) and bellman, none of us could know with certainty the diving tasks dive control would instruct us to carry out.

On my last excursion to Coventry as diver (1), I was informed that explosives would be sent down. Two 50-pound charges to be positioned on the superstructure of the ship, and one four-pound plastic explosive pack to be fixed to the warhead of the last Sea Dart on the launcher. All charges detonated, rendering the missile safe.

Dave Coburn answered any doubt I had about his artistic ability. “Fraction of a Second” is dedicated to the team of divers who under harrowing, dangerous and poignant conditions through tenacity, bravery and an that element of luck succeeded in all aspects of the operation. A moment in time that has lived on in my memory for 40 years. It could have been any of the Royal Navy’s clearance divers sitting astride an armed 15-foot missile, 8000 miles from home, in the deep unrelenting sea. On this dive occasion, time and luck were on my side.