Battle of the River Plate

This article is about the naval battle. For the film depiction, see The Battle of the River Plate (film).

Battle of the River Plate Part of the American Theatre of Second World War December 1939, HMS Achilles as seen from HMS Ajax during the Battle of the River Plate. Date 13 December 1939 Location Off the River Plate estuary in Argentina andUruguay, South Atlantic Result British Empire victory Belligerents  Germany  United Kingdom  New Zealand Commanders and leaders  Hans Langsdorff †  Henry Harwood Strength One heavy cruiser ("Panzerschiff") One heavy cruiser 2 light cruisers Casualties and losses One heavy cruiser scuttled 36 dead 60 wounded One heavy cruiser badly damaged two light cruisers damaged 72 dead (Achilles 4, Ajax 7, Exeter 61) 28 wounded

The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War and 

the only episode of the war to take place in South America. The German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee had been located in the South Atlantic a long time before the war began, and had been commerce raiding after the war began in September 1939. One of the hunting groups sent by the British Admiralty to search for Graf Spee, comprising three Royal Navy (RN)cruisers, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles (the last of the New Zealand Division), found and engaged their quarry off the estuary of the River Plate close to the coast of Argentina andUruguay in South America.

In the ensuing battle, Exeter was severely damaged and forced to retire; Ajax and Achillessuffered moderate damage. The damage to Graf Spee, although not extensive, was critical; her fuel system was crippled. Ajax and Achilles shadowed the German ship until she entered the port of Montevideo, the capital city of neutral Uruguay, to effect urgent repairs. After Graf Spee's captain Hans Langsdorff was told that his stay could not be extended beyond 72 hours, he scuttled his damaged ship rather than face the overwhelmingly superior force that the British had led him to believe was awaiting his departure.