THE story of a British battleship built on the Tyne [..]; Film to be made of Tyne-built battleship's Falkland sinking

Byline: ANDREW GLOVER

The Atlantic Conveyor was sunk by an Exocet missile with 12 men losing their lives.The book tells the story of how 19 people died after the ship was sunk.A merchant ship, the Atlantic Conveyor, was also hit by a bombardment on the same day. At the time the Chronicle reported a statement from Ministry of Defence spokesman Ian McDonald.Of the ship's 200 crew, 29 were from the North East.It will be written and directed by Tom Shankland, who made horror film The Children in 2009."And that''s war. You've got to take risks to win."While at war the ship had shot down five fighter bombers and a helicopter and sunk a patrol vessel.CAPTION(S):AUTHOR Capt David Hart Dyke wrote a book AT WAR HMS Coventry sank after it was attacked by Argentinian planes during the Falklands War in May 1982The replacement for HMS Coventry was sold to the Romanian Navy as part of a pounds 116million deal after it was built by workers at Swan Hunter and launched from Wallsend.He said: "HMS Coventry, a destroyer, was hit and has been lost.They later came under attack by four A-4 Skyhawks flying so low they were able to drop their bombs before Coventry's radar system could lock on.HMS Coventry was hit by cannon fire and struck by three of the four bombs dropped."The Atlantic Conveyor, a merchant ship requisitioned to support the Fleet, was also hit and has had to be abandoned."Mr Hart Dyke published his memoir called, Four Days In May, in 2007.Two of the bombs blew out part of her port side and within 20 minutes she had been abandoned and completely capsized.She also controlled a number of Sea Harriers involved in fierce fighting.The film, Destroyer, is based on a book by the ship's commanding officer David Hart Dyke.The adaptation of Mr Hart Dyke's book was announced yesterday at the opening of the Cannes film festival.THE story of a British battleship built on the Tyne and sunk during the Falklands War is to be made into a film.HMS Coventry sank after it was attacked by Argentinian planes in May 1982.Mr Hart Dyke, a former commanding officer of the Royal Yacht Britannia, told a BBC documentary he knew he was taking a risk when ordered to lure enemy bombers away from British troops on land.HMS Coventry, a destroyer, was built on the River Tyne in 1970."I realised why we were doing it," he said.Both HMS Coventry and the Atlantic Conveyor were rebuilt at Tyneside shipyards."If necessary, we were the sacrifice rather than other ships which were more important.

AUTHOR Capt David Hart Dyke wrote a book AT WAR HMS Coventry sank after it was attacked by Argentinian planes during the Falklands War in May 1982