Rescue-Firing a Coston Gun Line
Painted by Harold Beament around 1944

Beament, an experienced mariner and official war artist, often depicted the perils of naval service.

In this scene, sailors fire a rescue line to two people in a small raft (upper left). Note the angle of the ship's deck and the curve of the rescue line being fired into a heavy wind. Many of Beament's works explore the thin line between life and death at sea. Some, including this one, convey a sense of hope against long odds; others reflect the stark certainty of tragic loss.

Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-1044