German pocket battleship active in defending Wilhelmshaven during British air attack according to a report of the American Naval Attaché at Berlin, Germany Nr. R562 dated 15 September 1939

Admiral Graf Spee. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Admiral Scheer. Source Werft-Reederei-Hafen 15 April 1933

Diary note dated Tuesday 5 September 1939. An item reported that the German press wrote about the unsuccessful British air attack the day before on the German cities Wilhelmshaven (Jade), Bremerhaven (Weser) and Cuxhaven (Elbe). Just one British aircraft reached her destination to be shot down and falling in the harbour of Wilhelmshaven. The commander of the Ostfriesland coast stated that 10 aircraft were schot down of which 4 by a warship. The Propaganda Department called her Graf Spee and Scheer.

Source

National Archives. FDR Presidential Library&Museum Roosevelt PSFC000175. War diary Naval Attaché Berlin, volume 1 (1 September 1939-26 May 1940)