Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Monday, August 21st, 1939
The German battleship Graf Spee leaves Wilhelmshaven for the North Atlantic. She is commanded by Captain Hans Langsdorff. Her supply ship is the Altmark, which also leaves Wilhelmshaven.
Wednesday, September 27th, 1939
The German battleships Deutschland and Graf Spee are let loose on Allied shipping convoys in the North Atlantic.
Saturday, September 30th, 1939
The Graf Spee claims her first merchant vessel, the British freighter Clement, in the waters of the South Atlantic.
Sunday, October 1st, 1939
The Graf Spee goes on to sink four more Allied merchant vessels during the month of October.
Wednesday, November 15th, 1939
The Graf Spee sinks the oil tanker Africa Shell off the coast of Madagascar.
Monday, November 20th, 1939
The Graf Spee begins her return to a pre-designated waiting area in the South Atlantic. British cruisers Ajax, Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland begin pursuit.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
The Graf Spee adds three more vessels - the Doric Star, Tairoa, Streonshalh - to its list of sunken Allied targets. She begins her voyage towards River Plate near Uruguay for a final combat patrol.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
The Graf Spee is spotted in the early morning hours by Commodore H. H. Harwood's British cruiser squadron.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At 6:14 AM, the Graf Spee opens fire on the British heavy cruisers Ajaz and Exeter.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At 6:40 AM, the British cruiser Achilles is damaged by shell splinters from the Graf Spee's guns.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At 6:50 AM, the British cruiser Exeter is heavily damaged by the Graf Spee, leaving only one turret functional and in flames.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At 7:25 AM, the British cruiser Ajax loses two of her turrets to the Graf Spee.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
By 7:40 AM, the British cruisers Ajax and Achilles break battle and trail out of range of the Graf Spee's guns, though still in pursuit.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At 8:00 AM, Captain Langsdorff orders his lightly damaged Graf Spee towards the port at Montevideo in Uruguay with British ships in close pursuit.
Wednesday, December 13th, 1939
At approximately 12:00 PM, Graf Spee enters the harbor at Montevideo, Uruguay, with the intention on having her damaged repaired. With political pressure from Britain, the Uruguayan government offers the Graff Spee only 72 hours rest.
Sunday, December 17th, 1939
Graf Spee Captain Hans Langsdorff mistakenly believes there to be a large Royal Navy contingent waiting for his exit out of Montevideo harbor. As such, he orders the Graff Spee scuttled. The German vessel is effectively eliminated from the war.
Wednesday, December 20th, 1939
Choosing honor over justice, Captain Hans Langsdorff commits suicide, officially ending the reign of the Graf Spee.