大象传媒

SOUTH AMERICA 鈥� THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE
(13th December 1939)

By Mr Leslie Thomas Dennis, ex-PO, Royal Navy

On 16 January 1939, we commissioned HMS AJAX for a stint of two and a half years on the South Atlantic Station. At the end of January, we sailed for Bermuda, which was to be our base. We were due to carry out shaking down drills to bring us up to top efficiency. However, after a fortnight we were ordered to Kingston, Jamaica where the banana workers were striking and rampaging. We spent 10 days restoring order, then proceeded on a circuit of South America. While we were calling at Montevideo and Buenos Aires, Hitler was calling the tune in Munich. This crisis precipitated our removal to our war station in the South Atlantic. When that calmed down we went to the Falkland Islands, where we received a tumultuous welcome. An uneventful journey through the Magellan Straits was followed by visits to various ports on the west coast of Chile. While we were at Valcahuano a severe earthquake shook Concepcion, a short distance to the south. We went there, and rendered some assistance. Next was Valparaiso where we were given a right royal welcome. From there we proceeded to the West Indies via the Panama Canal, then on to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Following the declaration of war with Germany, we returned to our war station in the South Atlantic. We sank several German merchant ships during the first two days of hostilities, but then nothing until we sighted the GRAF SPEE. I might mention here that in 1937, Admiral Harwood, then a captain, formulated a plan to engage a pocket battleship with three light cruisers. Later that year he was appointed CinC South Atlantic.

On 12 December 1939 our squadron was complete, consisting of HMS AJAX and HMNZS ACHILLES, 7,000 tons each and mounting 8 x 6鈥� guns, and HMS EXETER, 8,400 tons with 6 x 8鈥� guns. The Commander-in-Chief ordered his three Captains on board HMS AJAX and laid down his plans for attacking a pocket battleship.

The morning of 13 December dawned fine and clear with a clear horizon. Three parts of the ship鈥檚 company went to breakfast, and a disappointed Admiral to his cabin. Suddenly a look-out sighted smoke on the horizon, and the alarm bells rang out. Most of the sailors were having a wash or were at breakfast following a night cooped up in the gun turrets on action stations. Mostly the hands arrived back on action stations clad only in shorts. It must have been the first time that a ship had gone into action with a half-naked crew! The Admiral was better dressed 鈥� in uniform jacket with pyjama trousers. His plan proceeded well. HMS EXETER attacked the GRAF SPEE alone, while AJAX and ACHILLES attacked in company as planned. My action station was Director Layer in 鈥楤鈥� turret. The cabinet was a steel box 6鈥� x 3鈥� and contained, besides myself, my sightsetter and turret trainer. When the door was shut, we were penned in. My job was to take over firing the turret if the Director up the mast was shot away. It was rather unnerving sitting there doing nothing while all hell was let loose outside. We were firing a salvo of 8 x 6-inch guns every 15 seconds at a range of 18,000 yards. The EXETER was getting a hammering and was in a bad way, and had to haul off with many fires on board.

By this time our guns were getting so hot they were expanding in their jackets, and more seriously we were running short of ammunition as we still only had a peacetime allowance. The two light cruisers closed the range, and hammered the upper desk of the German pocket battleship until it was a shambles. GRAF SPEE then drew off and set a course for Montevideo where the stage was set for her arrival. During the day, a radio operator from New York was giving a running commentary on events. We withdrew out to sea and heard everything on the ship鈥檚 radio, broadcast throughout the ship, courtesy of the overseas service of the 大象传媒 which was picking up the transmission from the shore. So although we had withdrawn to the horizon, we had a ringside seat.

By this time, HMS CUMBERLAND had arrived from the Falkland Islands, and was a valuable addition to our force.

We withdrew out to sea and buried our dead. On 17 December the GRAF SPEE slipped her moorings and proceeded out to sea. We had closed to within 5 miles of the port. GRAF SPEE stopped just outside the three mile limit and disembarked her crew. Shortly afterwards, huge explosions were heard from her 鈥� she was on fire. All ships closed in as far as was safe, and the order to cheer ship was given. The ships鈥� companies cheered each other like mad.

We then proceeded to sea, back to routine patrol and ready for anything. So ended the first and last stand-up battle of the war at sea which had been fought in the best traditions of the Royal Navy.

L T DENNIS
May 1983

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