Nbattle of the river plate pdf

This month marks the 60th anniversary of a historic and memorable action which earned britains first naval victory of world war ii. Columnist captretd aa jilani writes about a long forgotten but famous naval battle of world war ii. Oct 03, 2015 the battle of the river plate was the first major naval confrontation of the second world war, and it is one of the most famous. When hms achilles opened fire on the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee on december 1939, it became the first nz unit to engage the enemy in the second world war. The film portrays the battle of the river plate, a naval battle of 1939. After two months of working up in and around the british isles, war broke out. This was the first encounter between the british and the german naval forces. All in this series of military books are brief but very concise and informative accounts.

Known as the battle of the river plate, it set as rivals two great naval officers in a deadly psychological duel. Victory in the battle of the river plate, the first major naval engagement of the second world war, was a great boost to british morale during the phoney war. Club atletico river plate, an argentine sports club. In the meantime, the british set about deceiving the graf spee into believing that a huge fleet was massing off the south american coast the royal navy employed secret agents to spread gossip among workers in the montevideo docks, and used telephone lines they knew to be tapped to spread false information. Despite severe damage, exeter made emergency repairs in the falklands before undergoing a major refit in britain. In the 1950s the english film industry did its best to laud the embattled islands valiant war experience, with pictures about air raids, prison escapes and special missions. The battle of the river plate december, 1939 world. A late era powell and pressburger collaboration, the battle of the river plate is a major cut below their string of masterpieces made during the previous decade and foreshadows the amicable and temporary demise of the archers, but has to be commended for its glorious spectacle, strong performances and rigorous attention to detail. Battle of the river plate december 1939 1 1201 battle of the river plate december 1939 2 atenas editores asociados 19982016. Montevideo is a port city on the northern coast near the mouth of the estuary, in uruguay, while buenos aires in argentina a country friendly to germany is almost.

Nov 06, 20 the first naval battle of world war ii took place just off the coast of uruguay on december, 1939 as the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee is cornered in the waters of the river plate. This is a description of the battle of the river plate fought between the british cruisers exeter, ajax and achilles and the german pocket battleship, graf spee. The battle of the river plate took place in december 1939, and featured the royal navy cruisers exeter, achilles and ajax, against the german panzerschiffe, graf spee. The battle of the river plate was the first naval engagement of world war ii between the royal navy and the kreigsmarine. The german heavy cruiser admiral graf spee had sailed into the south atlantic a fortnight before the war began, and had been commerce raiding after receiving appropriate authorisation on 26 september 1939. Media in category battle of the river plate the following 11 files are in this category, out of 11 total. The british force lay in wait while a diplomatic struggle went on to limit how long the graf spee was allowed to stay in the port. The battle of the river plate took place on december th 1939.

Pursuit of the graf spee in the united states is a 1956 british war film in technicolor and vistavision by the writerdirectorproducer team of michael powell and emeric pressburger. Given the location of montevideo on the river plate it is somewhat dubious that the sun would set over the sea even at that time of year. Exeter and the 6inch guns of ajax and achilles to come into action at once. What you need to know about the battle of the river plate. If you have a flat screen tv id avoid the download. The battle of the river plate was the first major naval battle in world war ii and the only military engagement between the allies and the axis in south america. With henry harwood, hans langsdorff, michael praed. Ebook the battle of the river plate 1939 libro electronico. Ships from the royal navys south american division took on the might of germanys graf spee which was successfully attacking merchant shipping in the south atlantic.

When war broke out in september 1939, the german pocket battleship graf spee, commanded by hans langsdorff, was patrolling in the atlantic. The fighting off the river plate cost langsdorff 36 killed and 102 wounded, while harwoods ships lost 72 killed and 28 wounded. Harwoods assignment at the time was to protect the shipping lanes in and around the river plate and south america. Harwood tracks the ship by the locations of the british. The battle of the river plate history learning site. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle in the second world war and the first one. Timewatch battle of the river plate tv episode 2006 imdb. The battle of the river plate 1956 world war ii john. Hens tooths dvd of the battle of the river plate is a fine region 1 encoding of a beautiful carlton transfer, enhanced for widescreen and given excellent color values. The graf spee was one of three deutschland class pocket battleships built by the germans in the interwar period to get around treaty restrictions imposed after world war i. With john gregson, anthony quayle, ian hunter, jack gwillim. Battle of the river plate is a fast play introductory set of ww2 naval rules covering the famous battle of the same name, fought in december 1939 off the coast.

Foreword when we consider the battle of the river plate some 75 years ago, the story is often focused on the actions of the german pocket battleship graf spee and her captain hans langsdorff. In an earlier scene the radio commentator says that the sun is setting and a shot of the sun touching the surface of the sea is shown. It was distributed worldwide by rank film distributors ltd. Estadio monumental antonio vespucio liberti, also known as river plate stadium, in buenos aires, where the above team plays. The ship was lost following the battle of the java sea in early 1942. The battle of the river plate download ebook pdf, epub.

A compilation of documents and photos with details of the famous ww2 navel sea engagement, battle of the river plate, december 1939. River plate, battle of, fought off this south american river on december 1939 between the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee and an allied naval task force. The official dispatch summary extract from lectures presented by sir eugen millington drake, k. The hunt for the german pocket battleship graf spee as want to read. The battle of the river plate 1956 movie mistakes, goofs. Aug 17, 2015 the battle of the river plate was the first naval battle of world war ii and the only battle of world war ii to take place in south america or its waters. The best way so far to see the impressive the battle of the river plate is this german bluray given the title panzerschiff graf spee. The remaining two british cruisers, hms ajax and hms achilles, opened fire, forcing the graf spee to lay a smoke screen and escape. The battle of the river plate great military battles. The dramatic sea fight between the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee and the british cruisers exeter, ajax and achilles off the coast of south america caught the imagination in december 1939. The battle of the river plate 1939 visitado hoy en 2017. See battle of the java sea, in which exeter was sunk introduction. One of our aircraft is missing 1942 michael powell. The exeter to one flank and the two light cruisers to the other.

Harwood ordered three of his four cruisers, the 8 inch hms exeter and the two 6 inch cruisers hms ajax and hms achilles to meet 150 miles east of. The battle of the river plate was the first major naval confrontation of the second world war, and it is one of the most famous. Waters, achilles at the river plate, war history branch, wellington, 1948. The battle of the river plate is one of the most famous naval battles of the second world war, despite only involving four ships. The only thing that should have been done in the film to improve it was to show a chart of the mouth of the river plate. It was distributed worldwide by rank film distributors ltd the films storyline concerns the battle of. Battle of the river plate ad, wwii 19391945 add comments. The battle of the river plate pursuit of the graf spee.

The film stars john gregson, anthony quayle, and peter finch. A of june 18, 1935 was a bilateral agreement between the united kingdom and german reich regulating the size of the kriegsmarine in relation to the royal navy. An outgunned force of 3 british cruisers engaged the graf spee in the battle of the plate. During operations with us navy forces off guadalcanal on 5 january 1943, the ship was damaged by a japanese air attack that killed crewmen. Pdf battle of the river plate gustavo uruena a academia. The battle was fought between the german pocket battleship named admiral graf spee and force g consisting of the york class heavy cruiser hms exeter 68, leander class light cruiser.

The policy of commander henry harwood was to attack with all three ships at once, in two units. The battle in the south atlantic was the first major naval battle of world war two. In his survey of kriegsmarine engagements during world war ii, ohara draws two conclusions about the german navy, both of which are strongly evident in the battle of the river plate. Part of its fame came because it took place in the phoney war period and part because of the unjustifiably high reputation of the admiral graf spee, the german pocketbattleship involved in the battle. Battle of the river plate commemorative booklet royal new. May 18, 2015 the battle of the river plate took place on december th 1939. The battle was inconclusive but the graf spee made a run for a neutral harbor, montevideo in uruguay. Battle of the river plate dec 1939 submitted by stones on thu, 17052012 02. Dudley pope, author of many books, both fiction and nonfiction, has written another excellent nautical story. Dec, 2017 following its role in the battle of the river plate, achilles underwent repairs in auckland before escorting troop convoys and operating against japanese forces in the southwest pacific. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle of world war ii and the only battle of world war ii to take place in south america or its waters. From admiral harwoods post action report as seen by the british war cabinet. Several rivers flow into the estuary, which is quite large. They are looking for the surface raider for which they have three names.

Harwood explains that they are off the river platte between buenos aires, argentina and montevideo, uruguay. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. The pocket battleship graf spee, the pride of the german fleet, was commanded by captain. Battle of the river plate from the point of view of hms warrior bc and cruisers v km graf spee br hms warrior returned to service in july of 1939 with captain harwood in command. Following its role in the battle of the river plate, achilles underwent repairs in auckland before escorting troop convoys and operating against japanese forces in the southwest pacific. The battle of the river plate december, 1939 world war 2. She represented a grave threat to allied shipping, sinking eight merchant ships. Most americans have only seen a flat, lifeless tv transfer but this release restores the films bigscreen epic quality. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle in the second world war and the first one of the battle of the atlantic in south american waters. The author tips a nod to the wellknown eponymous movie of the battle of the river plate that used the uss salem as the graf spee and two real ships from the battle, the former hmnzs achilles and the elderly hms cumberland. When the filmmakers were choosing existing warships to play the roles of the ships in the battle, they didnt quite match up some of the details. Peter finch, john gregson, anthony quayle, bernard lee, ian hunter and jack gwillim. Battle of the river plate battle of the river plate.

Battle of the river plate the naval wargames society. Seventy five years later, the battle of the river plate still holds a. The ship sank the clement in the indian ocean on september 30. Start reading the battle of the river plate on your kindle in under a minute. He fully appreciates that the film is of a sort that transposes reality. Just around one hundred and fifty pages, yet the full history of the graf spee is given, as well as her voyage of commerce raiding, leaving wilhelmshaven on the 21st august 1939 to her end in montevideo on the 17th december 1939. If, as he believes, shes coming to the river platte, she will be here tomorrow, december. Harwood ordered three of his four cruisers, the 8 inch hms exeter and the two 6 inch cruisers hms ajax and hms achilles to meet 150 miles east of the river plate and await their foe. Click download or read online button to get the battle of the river plate book now. The scuttling of the ship and therefore the saving of many lives, is rightfully seen as an honourable action. No idea why itv cant do an uncut blu ray or the download version doesnt sate its 4. Ohara first concludes that the record of the german navys surface fleet is one of failure and lost opportunity 2004. The battle of the river plate 1956 directed by emeric.

Given the current endeavour to raise the sunken german pocket battleship admiral graf spee, it seems timely to record this historic battle for ahoy readers in the main, i have relied on rear admiral henry harwoods despatch to the admiralty, he reports the action. The hunt for the german pocket battleship graf spee dudley pope. Achilles role in the battle was a special source of pride for new zealanders, who welcomed the ships crew home at huge parades in auckland and wellington in early 1940. Start reading battle of the river plate on your kindle in under a minute. On december th 1939, the first great naval battle of world war ii took place off the coast of uruguay. Widely regarded as one of the best and most intelligent british war dramas of the 1950s, the battle of river plate is the story of britains first significant naval victory in ww2. It details in a reasonable amount of detail the story of the graf spee, from her departure from nazi germany in 1939, to her eventual demise in the river plate in uruguay in december of that year. The battle of the river plate is a 1956 british war film by directorwriter team of michael powell and emeric pressburger, starring john gregson, anthony quayle and peter finch. It was distributed worldwide by rank film distributors ltd the films storyline concerns the battle of the river. Admiral sir henry harwood harwood, kcb, obe 19 january 1888 9 june 1950, was a british naval officer who won fame in the battle of the river plate. The pocket battleship can both outgun and outrange the british ships. In the first major naval battle of world war ii, the british navy must find and destroy a powerful german warship.