The sinking of Graf Spee

13th December 1939

Just Before the outbreak of war, two of Germany's pocket battleships, Admiral Graf Spee and Deutschland, had sailed for their operational stations. Their aim was to disrupt the sea-lanes on which Britain depended for existence. Armed with six 11-inch and eight 5.5-inch guns, they outgunned the heaviest cruisers, and were faster than all but three of the Royal Navy's capital ships in commission. To seek and destroy these two ship before they wreaked havoc on seaborne trade in the North and South Atlantic, the Royal and French Navies had no alternative but to form eight hunting groups, totalling five aircraft carriers, four battle ships and fifteen cruisers. This was of course exactly the purpose for which the pocket battleships had been built, to force the British and French into dispersing their strength searching the vastness of the ocean. Only a handful of Allied ships were equipped with radar and their land-based and carrier-borne aircraft were limited in range. It is not a cliché to say that it was like searing for a needle in a haystack.

In mid November, Deutschland, having sunk two merchant ships, returned to Germany. Admiral Graf Spee, command by Captain Langsdorff, remained at sea, and by 7th December had sunk the last of nine merchant ships. It was the sinking of SS Doric Star on 2nd December that led to his undoing. Doric star managed to transmit a distress signal, giving her position in mid South Atlantic. Sweeps ordered by the Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic, acting on Doric Start's signal, achieved nothing. But Commodore Henry Harwood, commanding hunting group G, with a combination of common sense and percipience, sketched out on a signal pad a possible destination for Graf Spee off the River Plate. Harwood acted in the great tradition of the Royal Navy, whose commanders were expected to use their initiative.

Harwood's squadron, consisting of HMS Exeter (six 8-inch guns) and two light cruisers (each eight 6-inch guns), Ajax, wearing Harwood's broad pendant, and Achilles, manned by New Zealanders, encountered Graf Spee at 06:14am on 13th December. Langsdorff had turned to investigate the smoke of Harwood's ships, and when he realised he was running into British cruisers, increased speed to close to firing range to bring his 11-inch guns to bear, in the hope of crushing them before they could retaliate. Harwood's squadron steamed at full speed to obey his instructions signalled to them the day before: 'Attack at once by day or night.' Achilles and Ajax raced to take up position on the far side of Graf Spee, in accordance with Harwood's battle plan to engage her from two sides.

Graf Spee opened fire first, hitting Exeter with her third salvo. Unlike the British, Graf Spee had gunnery radar to assist in correcting the fall of shot. Exeter struck back, but her 8-inch shells did little damage. For some twenty-five minutes Langsdorff concentrated his main armament on Exeter in an attempt to crush Harwwod's strongest ship. Ajax and Achilles were treated to heavy fire from Graf Spee's 5.9-inch secondary armament as they crossed to take up station on the far side. Fire from the two light cruisers 6-inch guns was having little effect at this stage. By now Exeter had fires below deck, all communications destroyed, only one turret in action, the bridge had been badly damaged, and her Captain was conning her from the after steering position.

Exeter was still steaming at full speed, when water flooded in through a shell hole in her side, and cut power to her remaining turret. Her Captain had no alternative but to turn away and try to save his ship. Instead of closing and finishing off Exeter, Langsdorff was distracted by the fire of the two light cruisers who had closed to harry him with some very effective shooting. By 07:38am, Harwood, with Ajax apparently short of ammunition and with only three guns in action, decided to brake off day action, and close in again after dark.

Langsdorff, instead of following and finishing them off, continued to run to the west. Harwwod turned and harried him as he ran for shelter into Montevideo in neutral Uruguay. It was a surprise when he anchored in Montevideo, as it was expected that he would bolt at any moment. On Sunday there was a transfer of crew from the Graf Spee to Tacoma. When the Graf Spee sailed, the Harwood sent a aircraft up to watch what was happening. Suddenly Graf Spee had blown her self up. Three days later Langsdorff, worn out by the strain of command, committed suicide.

Below are some photos of the last moments of the Graf Spee.

• The Battle of the Atlantic