Admiral Graf Spee. Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
An item reported that the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer(1) was again active in the South Atlantic presumably sinking two British merchant ships on a position about 500 miles south east of St. Helena. Two hunting groups were to sent to the southward of Cape Town, South Africa when the British merchant ships were attacked. After immediately refueling the groups went to search. The Dutch ship "Mfria" was halted by the Admiral Graf Spee around 500 miles east of Durban, South Africa on 16 November. The pocket battleship would be able to cover the distance at economical speed. Several of the German merchant ships lying in South American harbors seemed to prepare their departure possible connected with the movements of the pocket battleship.
Note
1. This can’t be the Admiral Schee whice she was refitted. Her sister ships Admiral Graf Spee and Deutschland were at that moment active as commerce raiders in respectively South and North Atlantic. Building ordered from Admiral Graf Spee 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 (1) 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 and galley were destroyed. Her opponents were the British cruisers HMS Ajax, Exeter and Achilles. Two of the Allied ships searching for her were the French fast battleships also called battle cruisers Strassbourg and Dunkerque.
Source
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.
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