German Admiral Graf Spee original appearance. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
German Admiral Graf Spee disguised appearance. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
An item reported that an unknown ship (possible the British oil refinery 13,640 tons ss Tafelberg) which left Aruba, Dutch West Indies bound for Capetown, South Africa on 16 November 1939 reported on 3 December 5 A.M. that she was gunned by the Admiral Scheer and (1) nothing was heard of her since. Her signal came from a postion around 170 miles south west of where the ss Doric Star was gunned.
Notes
1. She was attacked by the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and not by her sister ship Admiral Scheer. 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. 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.
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