Listing merchant vessel with a destroyer and a  depth-charge or mine exploding beyond<br>
While an evocative drawing, possibly at sunset, it is not clear whether this is a specific incident. The destroyer to the left is 'M' or 'R'-class suggesting a 1917-18 date, but the explosion is not in the position astern that one would expect of she had dropped a depth charge. The dazzle-painted merchant ship seen in stern view listing to port, with her screw partly out of the water, is not a standard cargo vessel since her spindly three masts do not support derricks and have wireless spreaders suspended between fore and main, which suggests a military use. A small boat and distant coastline appear to the right.
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:William_Lionel_Wyllie" class="extiw" title="w:en:William Lionel Wyllie"><span title="English painter of maritime themes (1851-1931)">William Lionel Wyllie</span></a>
</bdi>
circa 1917 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1917-18-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/117603">http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/117603</a>