events
The Battle of the River Plate is fought off the coast of Uruguay; the first naval battle of World War II. The Kriegsmarine's Deutschland-class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with three Royal Navy cruisers: HMS Ajax, HMNZS Achilles and HMS Exeter.
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Battle of the River Plate
First naval battle of the Second World War
The Battle of the River Plate was fought in the South Atlantic on 13 December 1939 as the first British naval battle of the Second World War.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
World War II
1939–1945 global conflict
World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles,…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Kriegsmarine
Naval warfare branch of Germany's armed forces (1935–1945)
The Kriegsmarine was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war Reichsmarine (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches, along with the Heer…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Deutschland-class cruiser
1929 cruiser class of the German Navy
The Deutschland class was a series of three Panzerschiffe, a form of heavily armed cruiser, built by the Reichsmarine officially in accordance with restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The ships of the class, Deutschland, Admiral Scheer, and Admiral Graf Spee, were…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee
German Deutschland-class cruiser of World War II
Admiral Graf Spee was a Deutschland-class Panzerschiff, nicknamed a "pocket battleship" by the British, which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. The vessel was named after World War I Admiral Maximilian von Spee, commander of the East Asia Squadron…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Royal Navy
Naval warfare force of the United Kingdom
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
HMS Ajax (22)
Leander-class cruiser
HMS Ajax was a Leander-class light cruiser which served with the Royal Navy during World War II. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta and as a supply escort in the siege of Tobruk. This ship was the eighth in…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
HMNZS Achilles
Leander-class cruiser
HMNZS Achilles was a Leander-class light cruiser, the second of five in the class. She served in the Royal New Zealand Navy in the Second World War. She was launched in 1931 for the Royal Navy, loaned to New Zealand in 1936 and transferred to the new Royal New Zealand Navy in…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
HMS Exeter (68)
York-class cruiser of the Royal Navy
HMS Exeter was the second and last York-class heavy cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the late 1920s. Aside from a temporary deployment with the Mediterranean Fleet during the Abyssinia Crisis of 1935–1936, she spent the bulk of the 1930s assigned to the Atlantic Fleet or…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
December 13
Day of the year
December 13 is the 347th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 18 days remain until the end of the year.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)