British cargo ship Newton Beech considered to be lost in December 1939

German Admiral Graf Spee original appearance. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

German Admiral Graf Speein 1939 disguise. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the merchant ship Newton Beech (1)considered to be lost in December 1939 tonnage 4,651 tons and loaded with 7,080 tons maize as overdue in the Résumés dated 3 and 10 November 1939 was considered to be lost. She disappeared in the South Atlantic probably as victim of the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer.(2)

Notes

1. Captured on 5 October 1939 by the Admiral Graf Spee and sunk on 8 October. Call sign GLTF. Gross register tonnage 4,651 tons, under deck 4,248 tons, net register tonnage 2,816 tons. Built by W. Pickersgill&Sons, Sunderland, England in October 1925, owner Tyneside Line Ld., manger J. Ridley, Son&Tully, homeport Newcastle and as dimensions 372.8 x 65.4 x 26.8 feet.

2. Part of Of the Deutschland-class panzerschiffe, nicknamed pocket battleships by the Allied forces, later classified as heavy cruisers preceded by the Admiral Hipper-class. Main armament 2x3-28cm/11” guns, on fore and aft ship one turret. . It was her sister ship Admiral Graf Spee which was responsible for the disappearance. Building ordered as the Ersatz Braunschweig. Laid down on the Reichmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany with yard number 125 on 1 October 1932, launched on 30 June 1934, commissioned on 6 January 1936, successful in destroying 50.089 gross tonnage of merchant ships, participated in the Battle of the Rio de La Plata on 13 December 1939 and finally scuttled to prevent capture on 17 December1939. Her captain was mislead believing that a large Allied naval force was approaching which was not true. Despite being damaged in the battle was she still superior to the Allied ships waiting outside Montevideo, Uruguay who were far more damaged. She was however lacking enough ammunition and had severe problems while the oil purification and desalination plants destroyed.

Sources

The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-66-4-1 Weekly Résumé (No. 14) of the naval, military and air situation from 12 noon 30 November to 12 noon 7 December 1939.

Lloyd’s Register 1939-1940.