Battle of The River Plate

[Thomas McCall]

My grandfather served in the Navy during the war, but now has sadly passed on. Before ill health set in I asked him a few years ago what did he do in the war. He didn't say much exept that he was in the Royal Navy and something about Montdivideio and The Graf Spee. Therefore I'm asking what British ships were in the chase for the Graf Spee, I know of H.M.S Achilles and Ajax but what others.
Thanks in advance,
From,
Thomas McCall.

[Friedrich H]

Directly involved in the fighting there were HMNZS Achilles, HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter.

But I'll get later the rest of the ships involved in the chase, including French ones.

[Friedrich H]

*edited*

[Thomas McCall]

Thank you very much for your help. Do you or anyone else now where I can find the records of any Royal Navy Ship entering Montevideo between 1939 to 1945.

[David Seymour]

Thomas,
For a really good introduction to the Battle of the River Plate read Dudley Pope, The Battle of the River Plate. Have you seen the 1959 (?) film of the same name? This features two of the ships involved: Achilles, and the Cumberland (which arrived as a reinforcement after the action).
Regards,
David

[Thomas McCall]

I have seen the film and it's very good, definetly better than something like Pearl Harbour. I'll try to find that book, it'd definetly worth a look. Thanks.

[alfie]

I work in a hospital and one of the regular patients told me he was in Montivideo harbour when the Graff Spee was scuttled. He also said his ship was shelled previously by the Graff Spee. Is there a record of which vessels where shelled or sunk by the ship?

[alfie]

My old pal has identified his ship as the Almeda Star, he left before the next trip when it was torpedoed 35 miles off Rockall with the loss of all hands.

[Friedrich H]

The following ships were sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee since September 30th 1939 until she faced British Force G under commodere Harwood at Montevideo Bay.

• RMS Clement
• RMS Ashley
• RMS Newton Beach
• RMS Huntsman
• RMS African Shell
• RMS Doric Star
• RMS Trevanion

Totallasing 50.000 tons of shipping.

[Friedrich H]

The most dreaded Admiral Graf Spee, pocket battleship of the Deutschland Class.



She was chased by three different British Forces:

Force H, composed of:



HMS Sussex, heavy cruiser of the London Class.



HMS Shropshire, heavy cruiser of the London Class.

Force K, composed of:



HMS Renown, battlecruiser of the Renown Class.



HMS Ark Royal, aircraft carrier of the Ark Royal Class.

Force G —under commodore Harwood—, composed of:



HMS Exeter, heavy cruiser of the York Class.



HMS Cumberland, heavy cruiser of the Kent Class.



HMNZS Achilles, light cruiser of the Leander Class.



HMS Ajax, light cruiser of the Leander Class.