Brought up in a suburb of Glasgow, Muirhead Bone studied architecture and art at Glasgow School of Art. In the late 1890s he taught himself etching, and soon became the country's leading printmaker. His etchings were generally worked up with drypoint. In 1901 he moved to London where he had his first exhibition and started publishing editions of his prints.

He was a war artist in both the First and the Second World Wars. His work during the latter included a number of naval subjects such as this example. Although rapidly drawn, its success lies in the strength of Bone's firm draughtsmanship. It is signed and inscribed in the lower right hand corner.