Dawn broke with its promise of a fine day, there was a fair breeze from the south-east and a low, lazy swell – not unusual in the South Atlantic in summer – and nothing but ocean to be seen in any direction. Ships from the Royal Navy’s South American Division took on the might of Germany’s Graf Spee which was successfully attacking merchant shipping in the South Atlantic. This event is rescheduled from November 2019 and those booked on that event do not need to reapply. Copyright © 2020. This eyewitness account of HMS Exeter’s part in the Battle of the River Plate was especially written for Naval Historical Review by Lieutenant Ron Atwill, a former Secretary of the Society and an Honorary Life Member. During the battle, Exeter was hit seven times by 11" shells and several near misses. HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles were both damaged and suffered casualties, HMS Ajax 7 dead and wounded and HMS Achilles 4 dead. He talked about joining the Exeter, the earthquake in Chile, the outbreak of the war and encounter with the Graf Spee. Ron served in HMS Exeter in the historic battle and his account is graphic and accurate. With the British squadron now split (as planned before the battle) action commenced at with the Admiral Graf Spee opening fire at 0615 hours. He retired from the Navy owing to ill health on 8 January 1948. CREW LIST FOR THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE, A Chronology of the Battle of the River Plate, Falkland Island History - Battle of the River Plate. “Ajax” and “Achilles” continued to harry the pocket battleship from the north , but at 07.25 "Ajax" lost her two after turrets to an 11in hit  and “Achilles” already had splinter damage. In the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate, Bell was played by John Gregson. The old Matchbox kit is said to be, but its a bit crude. The Battle of the River Plate simulates the naval encounter between the German Panzerschiff Admiral Graf Spee and the British Royal Navy Cruisers HMS Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles on 13 December 1939. HMS Ajax was "played" by HMS Sheffield, HMS Exeter by HMS Jamaica and HMS Cumberland by herself. Exeter Finance offers franchise dealership financing and subprime auto lending to credit-challenged customers. The reason for this manoeuvre was that it would not only force the enemy to split his gunnery, but also enable the two British units to spot and report each other’s fall of shot. He talked about joining the Exeter, the earthquake in Chile, the outbreak of the war and encounter with the Graf Spee. Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. The Battle of the River Plate took place on December 13th 1939. “Graf Spee” concentrated her two 11in turrets on “Exeter” which was badly hit . F.S. . Please use city centre car parks there is no parking at the Mint Methodist Centre. On the 27th a combined ABDA – American British Dutch Australian – task force of ships had sustained heavy damage whilst attacking the Japanese invasion fleet heading … HMS Achilles, which had been recommissioned in 1948 as HMIS Delhi, flagship of the Royal Indian Navy, played herself in the movie. “Exeter” closed to the south while the two light cruisers worked around to the north , all firing as they manoeuvred. Delaware River Bridge (Brown County, Kansas) Built 1935; replaced 1994 Lost pony truss bridge over Delaware River on FAS 1556, 0.3 mi. Graf Spee was portrayed by the U.S. heavy cruiser … Cdre Harwood with Hunting Group G - 8in-gunned cruisers Exeter and Cumberland and 6in light cruisers Ajax and New Zealand Achilles - correctly anticipated her destination. A lookout in Ajax had seen what appeared to be a puff of smoke on the horizon, had reported it, and Exeter altered course to the north west, in accordance with Commodore Harwood’s pre-arranged plan. Author Atwill, R., DSM, Lieutenant, RN (Rtd) Subjects Ship histories and stories, History - WW2 Tags None noted. He was drafted to HMS EXETER in 1936 as PMO and promoted to Surgeon Commander in 1937. The commander of the South American Division was Commodore Harwood. The Admiral Graf Spee suffered 36 dead and 60 wounded, hit by seventeen 6 inch shells and two eight inch shells, with water purification and desalination plant destroyed and kitchens wrecked she was allowed just 72 hours to make good her the damage that threatened her seaworthiness she was unable to do so. 'Len' R.A. Fogwill served on HMS Exeter during the Battle of the River Plate, his son, Patrick, has published his account online to download and read for free, Click Here. (Among other things). They initially identified the Graf Spee's smoke as a merchant ship and HMS Exeter was detached to take a message to her, but soon the mistake was realised. Her captain later shot himself. Patrick Northcott  interviewed by the Imperial War Museum, about his whole WW2 experience. On December 13, 1939 in the morning spotted by Admiral Graf Spee and engaged during the Battle of the River Plate. The Battle of the River Plate took place on December 13th 1939. / HMS Exeter at the Battle of River Plate. Exeter was one of three British cruisersthat fought t… https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80013725. Read more Read less. These lasted until January 1940, after which the ship returned to Devonport Dockyard for full repairs which took until March 1941 to complete. west of Mercier The German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee intercepted what was thought to be a small convoy of merchant ships 150 miles off the River Plate estuary. Consisting of the light cruisers HMS Ajax (flagship of Commodore Sir Henry Harwood, RN, Capt. Listening as usual for the following long ‘G’ we realised that we were not going to hear it. Albert Carter left school in 1929 and joined the Navy about five and half years ago. “Graff Spee” entered port at midnight. CARTER Albert H Exeter and Plymouth Gazette "Among those board HMS Exeter at the Battle of the River Plate was Seaman Gunner Albert H. Carter, old boy of Ladysmith-road School, Exeter, whose father and mother live at 46, Stuart-road Heavitree, Exeter. All versions of the Aoshima kit, and the Niko and Samek resin kits, represent her after her post-River Plate repair and refit. The full story of the battle together with photos is one of the Cruiser Actions. HMS Exeter after the Battle off the River Plate After retiring from the action HMS Exeter made for the British base on the Falkland Islands to make temporary repairs. By 06.50 all ships were heading west , "Exeter” with only one turret in action and on fire. Life on the Line Podcasts His final draft was to HMS TRIUMPH, from which he retired from active service in 1949 to become a GP in Walton-on-Thames. On leaving EXETER he was drafted to HMS GREENWICH in 1941. In 1956, the film The Battle of the River Plate (US title: Pursuit of the Graf Spee) was made of the battle and Admiral Graf Spee's end, with Peter Finch as Langsdorff. The battle in the South Atlantic was the first major naval battle of World War Two. Filed Under: Naval Historical Review, Ship histories and stories, History - WW2, Australian Naval History Podcasts As other Allied hunting groups headed for the area, much diplomatic manoeuvring took place to hold her there. The Loss of HMAS Armidale by Dr Kevin Smith, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN. When World War II began in September 1939, the cruiser was assigned to patrol South American waters against German commerce raiders. HMS Exeter, for Battle of the River Plate? HMS Exeter fought at the Battle of the River Plate on 13th December 1939. The Battle of the River Plate took place on December 13th 1939. TNA – ADM 116/4320, 1941. Also at Port Stanley was HMS Exeter, commanded by Captain Bell. We were pretty certain that whatever was ‘out there’ was the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. At 06.14 on the 13th, 150 miles east of the Plate Estuary, “Graf Spee” (Capt Langsdorff) was reported to the northwest of the three cruisers [1 - see map]. By 08.00, still with only superficial damage, she headed for the neutral Uruguayan port of Montevideo, the cruisers shadowing [9]. Sufficient to say that our adversary was indeed a pocket battleship although it was not until much later in the day that we discovered that it was the Graf Spee and not the Admiral Scheer as had been thought. During the voyage she stopped three times to bury her dead at sea. The battle in the South Atlantic was the first major naval battle of World War Two. It may be of interest at this point, to give a short description of the gun power of the vessels engaged in this battle. On board Exeter the bugler sounded ‘Action Stations’ followed by a long ‘G’. Heavily damaged at the Battle of the River Plate by Admiral Graf Spee, December 1939. The subsequent battle saw the cruiser HMS Exeter badly damaged with all her guns put out of action but still seaworthy, she suffered 61 killed and 23 wounded and was forced to make for the Falkland Islands to carry out repairs. (Commodore Harwood had transferred his broad pennant to Ajax from Exeter a few days previously). (Among other things). The German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee had sailed into the South Atlantic two weeks before the war began, and had been commerce raiding after receiving appropriate authorisation on 26 September 1939. For more information of the battle; Click Here, The above article 'Tidings of Comfort & Joy'  was submitted to Aspect County Magazine. Responses. “Graf Spee” claimed three more victims to bring the total to nine ships of 50,000 tons, before heading for the South American shipping lanes off the River Plate. These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher. EX4 3AT . The historical outcome led the Graf Spee to seek shelter in Montevideo, Uruguay, where she was subsequently scuttled. Battle of the River Plate: British views on German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo harbour; visits to South America by HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles. On December 12, 1939 Exeter was ordered to rendezvous with Achilles and Ajax off the mouth of the Río de la Plata (River Plate). Bell, RN). AE1 – The Ship without a Name, Musical Composition by Lieutenant Matthew Klohs RAN. She was taking in water and listing, although her engines remained intact. During the battle she was badly damaged with all her main armament either destroyed or out of action. north and 3.8 mi. Finch portrayed Langsdorff authentically as a gentleman. The Matchbox kit is the only 1/700 scale kit of Exeter which represents her 1939 configuration. Tags. March 30, 1977. Haz tu selección entre imágenes premium sobre Admiral Graf Spee de la más alta calidad. Sebastian Inlet Bridge (Indian River County, Florida) (Main design: Concrete deck girder) Built 1964 to replace previous bascule bridge Unique double-deck bridge with concrete girder/stringer spans (upper level) and deck plate girder spans (lower level) over Sebastian Inlet on … Imperial War Museum, about his whole WW2 experience. And then all was movement – but orderly movement – collecting necessary gear, rushing off to unlock repair lockers, flooding cabinets each with its array of handwheels – in fact each one doing his little share of the large whole that would bring the ship rapidly, but surely, to the battle state. C.H.L. The convoy turned out to be three British cruisers of Commodore Sir Henry Harwood's squadron. Two or three minutes later we were in battle for at 0618 Graf Spee opened fire on Exeter at about 20,000 yards with her main armament of eleven inch guns. This site is for veterans who served in any of the ships carrying the HMS Ajax name or fought at the Battle of the River Plate (HMS Ajax, Exeter and Achilles) and relatives and friends of any crew members or residents of the Town of Ajax, Ontario. 24 Nov 2020. Book via Booking Form A or The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War and the first one of the Battle of the Atlantic in South American waters. Langsdorff then committed suicide. SADRAS 1782 - PROVIDIEN 1782 - NEGAPATAM 1782 - TRINCOMALEE 1782 - RIVER PLATE 1939 - MALAYA 1942 - SUNDA STRAIT 1942 - FALKLAND ISLANDS 1982* B a t t l e H o n o u r s . HMS Exeter fighting off an aircraft attack in January 1942 during the Battle of the Banka Straits. Bell also commanded HMS Anson in 1945. Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre. HMS Exeter Engaging In The Gaf Spree At The Battle Of The River Plate, 2009 by Richard Willis canvas art print arrives ready to hang, with hanging accessories included and no additional framing required. That morning all was well. The whys and wherefores of how we came to be patrolling the waters off the mouth of the River Plate have been told in other publications and can have no place in the present story. They both shadowed the Admiral Graf Spee into Uruguay territorial waters where she entered the port of Montevideo. Or any other 1/700 kits suitable? (Highly recommended). Barbara Bartholomew's father was taken to Makassar after HMS Exeter sank in 2nd Battle of Java Sea. Encuentra fotos de stock perfectas e imágenes editoriales de noticias sobre Admiral Graf Spee en Getty Images. This must be it!! This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere. 1939 - River Plate Battle - HMS Ajax, HMS Exeter & HMNZ Achilles Sink Graf Spee - Part 1 (Hundimiento del Graf Spee en la Batalla del Rio de la Plata) W.E. The Battle of the River Plate took place on December 13th, . By 08.00, still with only superficial damage, she headed for the neutral Uruguayan port of Montevideo, the cruisers shadowing. Battle of the River Plate: reports from Admiral Commanding and from HM Ships Ajax, Achilles and Exeter.. London: United Kingdom National Archives (Kew). This was continued when given to a Type 42 Destroyer on launch by Swan Hunter in 1978. Suddenly, at about ten past six our dozing, or quiet thinking, was shattered by the familiar call to Action Stations. After shifting target rapidly once or twice, Graf Spee concentrated the fire of all six of her 11-inch guns on Exeter. Her two after 8-inch guns (Y Turret) opened fire as soon as they could be brought to bear two and a half minutes later. Parry, RN) and the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter (Capt. Please use city centre car parking (there is no parking at the Mint Methodist Centre) This event is rescheduled from November 2019 and those booked on that event do not need to reapply. HMS Exeter was the second and last York-class heavy cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the late 1920s. There is also a Video clip of the battle and the return of Exeter to the UK on the video page. Great Britain’s South American Naval Division was made up of four cruisers. Two minutes later, at 0620, Exeter opened fire with her two forward turrets – four 8-inch guns. HMS Exeter and the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939. The fall of Ajax is impossible without his consent; he is in control of himself. Graf Spee’s first salvo fell short of Exeter, the second was over and the third straddled the cruiser – classic gunnery. One of the hunting groups sent by the British Admiralty to search for Admiral Graf Spee, comprising three Royal Navy cruisers, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles(th… The range was then nine and a half sea miles. He was mentioned in despatches after the Battle of the River Plate. Exeter reported that she thought it was a pocket battleship and so, again in accordance with that pre-arranged plan, the three ships split up – Exeter to the north west and the other two cruisers to the north east. Two other ships made up the South American Division – HMS Cumberland, commanded by Captain Fallowfield, and HMNZS Achilles, commanded by Captain Parry. It was 0500 on the 13th of December 1939 and the bugler had called all hands to turn out for dawn action stations, a routine … HMS Exeter was forced to break off and head south for the Falklands [8], but "Graf Spee" failed to press home her advantage. Fore Street. The crew marched through the streets with fixed bayonets, carrying HMS Exeter's shell-torn White Ensign through the streets. Unfortunately “Cumberland” was by now in the Falklands. John Smith, HMS Exeter and the Battle of the River Plate in September 1939. Written by Roger Paine Cmdr RN Ret'd. On Saturday, December 2nd,1939, HMS Ajax, commanded by Captain Woodhouse, was harboured at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. Finally, on the 17th, Capt Langsdorff edged his ship out into the estuary where she was scuttled and blown up. During the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December 1939 HMS Exeter was badly damaged and had to withdraw to the Falkland Islands for temporary repairs. The 8-inch fire seemed to worry the enemy almost from the beginning. 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