HMS Egret has the dubious distinction of being the first ship to be sunk by a guided missile, when it was attacked by a squadron of Dornier Do 217 aircraft in the Bay of Biscay on August 27, 1943. One of the aircraft launched a Henschel Hs 293 anti-ship missile against the Egret, hitting the ship and exploding. 194 of HMS Egret's crew were killed in the attack.