Wessex Over the Mill: Wings Amid the Troubles

Every so often a commission arrives that pushes me both artistically and emotionally—and this one certainly did. I was asked to capture a Royal Navy Westland Wessex flying over Bessbrook Mill, County Armagh, during one of the most intense and historically significant periods of recent British military history: The Troubles.

For anyone familiar with the era, Bessbrook Mill is more than just a location. For nearly 40 years, it was the busiest heliport in Europe, a constant hub of rotary-wing activity supporting operations across South Armagh. Dozens of aircraft lifted in and out daily, making it an unmistakable landmark and a lifeline for those serving in the region.

The commission came from a Royal Navy helicopter pilot, which added an extra layer of responsibility and honour to the project. Painting a Wessex for someone who flew them meant every detail mattered—shape, colour, lighting, rotor blur, even the mood of the Northern Irish landscape below.

And what a challenge it was. Capturing the Wessex’s distinctive profile against the backdrop of the mill, with its mix of industrial architecture and rolling countryside, required a careful balance of accuracy and atmosphere. I wanted the painting not just to show the moment, but to feel it: the tension, the duty, the history, and the constant movement of a place that never truly fell silent.

This piece has been one of the most rewarding commissions I’ve worked on—both as an artist and as someone who deeply respects the people and aircraft involved. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me to bring this memory to life.

Sketched, inked and applying paint

Building up the layers of detail

fine details painted in on the Wessex