Overview
The
Battle of the River Plate took place between the cruisers HMS Exeter,
HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles and the German pocket battleship SMS Admiral
Graf Spee. All four ships were damaged after a two hour battle. The
14,890 MS Admiral Graf Spee would be scuttled by the Germans.
7
Allied war vessels was sunk mines or U-boats.2
Allied battleships were damaged by mines.2
German war vessels were damaged by an Allied submarine.1
U-boat was sunk by Allied war vessels.39
Allied
and neutral merchant ships were sunk by U-boats or mines totaling 72,771 tons.2
Allied merchant ships were damaged by U-boats or mines totaling 8,263 tons.1
Axis merchant ships totaling 32,354 tons was scuttled to prevent
from being captured.1
Axis merchant ship safely escaped Allied forces by seeking
sanctuary in Florida.
Naval Action in the Atlantic OceanCommodore
Commanding South Atlantic Station, Commodore Henry H. Harwood, ordered
his Royal Navy three cruisers to concentrate off the River Plate estuary
on December 12. Harwood's force would battle
the
SMS Admiral Graf Spee on December 13.The
battleship HMS Nelson, commanded by Captain G.J.A. Miles and
flagship of the Home Fleet (Admiral Charles Forbes) was badly damaged by
a mine at the entrance of Loch Ewe, Scotland. The explosion seriously
damaged her and injured 52 crew members. The ship would be escorted to
Portsmouth, where she was repaired and returned to service on June 8,
1940.The
minesweeping trawler HMS Washington struck a mine and sank near Great
Yarmouth off the eastern coast of England. Of the ship’s complement only
one crew member survived.The German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee refueled from the
tanker Altmark in South Atlantic, roughly 1,700 miles from Montevideo,
Uruguay.The
submarine HMS Salmon, commanded by Lt. Commander Edward O.
Bickford, sighted the 52,000 ton German liner Bremen in the North Sea.
The HMS Salmon surfaced and in accordance with International Law
signaled the liner to stop but no notice was taken. A few moments later
the HMS Salmon had to dive because of an escorting German Do-18
aircraft. The Bremen
evaded the British blockade on its journey from Murmansk when it arrived
safely in Bremerhaven.The
Battle of the River Plate took place between the cruisers HMS Exeter,
HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles and the German pocket battleship SMS Admiral
Graf Spee. All four ships were damaged after a two hour battle after
which the SMS Admiral Graf Spee set sail for Montevideo, Uruguay where
under international law the warship would be permitted temporary neutral
sanctuary in order to make quick repairs and have the wounded treated.
The HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles took up positions outside the port. The
HMS Exeter, badly damaged, withdrew to the Falkland Islands.
The U.S. Navy would study the Battle of the
River Plate from a perspective of drilling gunners to maintain fire by
local (rather than a centralized director) control. To this end, a
scenario similar to the River Plate engagement was included in an
exercise in 1940. In addition, the Director of Fleet Training considered
the "proper use of smoke either as a defense measure or as a means of
covering movements of an attacking force" extremely important, and
pointed out the demonstrable effectiveness of a smoke screen "as a means
of protection for light forces" employed by Commodore Harwood in the
battle.The
submarine HMS Salmon, commanded by Lt. Commander Edward O.
Bickford, sighted a German task force in the central North Sea
comprising the light cruisers SMS Nürnberg, SMS Leipzig and SMS Köln and
the destroyers SMS Hermann Künne, SMS Friedrich Ihn, SMS Erich
Steinbrinck, SMS Richard Beitzen, and SMS Bruno Heinemann. The cruisers
were a covering force for the destroyers who had laid mines off
Newcastle. From great distance the HMS Salmon managed to torpedo the SMS
Nürnberg and SMS Leipzig. The SMS Leipzig was so badly damaged that she
would never again be fit for combat duty and was only used as a training
ship. The SMS Nurnberg would be out of action until May, 1940.The
German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee put in to Montevideo,
Uruguay, for repairs. The light cruisers HMS Ajax and New Zealand
light cruiser HMNZS Achilles maintained patrol off the 120-mile
wide River Plate estuary. The heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland
reinforced the HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles that night.The
heavy cruiser USS Vincennes and the destroyers USS Evans
and USS Twiggs (the latter destroyer having shadowed the
destroyer HMS Hereward a short time before) trailed the
Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth which was prowling the Gulf
of Yucatan waiting for the emergence of the German passenger liner
Columbus. The Americans maintained such a close and
persistent surveillance of the Australian warship that Perth's
commanding officer, Captain Harold B. Farncomb, was said to have
remarked in exasperation, "Queer idea of 'neutrality' these Americans
have!"The
German freighter Arauca departed Vera Cruz, Mexico, followed
subsequently by the passenger liner Columbus, the third largest ship in
Germany's merchant marine. The destroyer USS Benham, soon
joined by the destroyer USS Lang, trailed the Columbus.
A succession of U.S. ships would, over ensuing
days, send out plain-language position reports.In
Montevideo, Uruguay, the German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee
was ordered to leave port with 72 hours. The crew was repairing damage
to the warship and fuel was taken in from a German tanker.The
RFA oiler Olynthus refueled the light cruiser HMS Ajax at Samborombon Bay, off the coast of Argentina. The heavy cruiser HMS
Cumberland covered the situation at Montevideo, Uruguay lest the
Admiral Graf Spee should attempt to sortie.The
destroyer USS Jouett relieved the destroyer USS Benham
at sea. The latter attempted to locate the German freighter Arauca,
while the Jouett joined the destroyer USS Lang in shadowing the
German passenger liner Columbus.The
light cruiser HMS Ajax, heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland and New
Zealand light cruiser HMNZS Achilles patrolled off River Plate
estuary to watch for the German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee.
The Ajax's Fairey Seafox float plane reconnoitereds the area.The
destroyers USS Schenck and USS Philip, soon joined by
the destroyer USS Lea, relieved the destroyers USS Jouett and USS Lang of the duty of trailing German passenger
liner Columbus off Key West, Florida. The USS Jouett and USS Lang
steamed off to join the destroyer USS Davis in attempting to
locate the freighter Arauca. The USS Schenck soon proceeded on other
assigned duties.The
British RFA oiler Olynthus refueled the New Zealand light cruiser HMNZS
Achilles off Rouen Bank, the southernmost channel of the River
Plate estuary. Light cruiser HMS Ajax and heavy cruiser HMS
Cumberland cover the situation involving the German pocket
battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee.The
Admiral Graf Spee, her allotted time in neutral Uruguayan waters for
repair of damage received in the Battle of the River Plate having
expired, and her crew transferred to the German freighter Tacoma, put to
sea from Montevideo, Uruguay, and was scuttled approximately five miles
west-southwest of the entrance of Montevideo harbor by her commander,
Captain Hans Langsdorff. The destruction of
Admiral Graf Spee came, as First Lord of the Admiralty Winston S.
Churchill later declared "like a flash of light and colour on the scene,
carrying with it an encouragement to all who are fighting, to ourselves,
and to our Allies." The Admiral Graf Spee had sunk nine British
merchantmen during her cruise, totaling 50,089 tons of shipping. Not a
single life had been lost in the process.The
destroyers USS Ellis and USS Cole relieved the
destroyers USS Lea and USS Philip of the duty of
shadowing the German passenger liner Columbus.The
destroyers USS Greer and USS Upshur relieved the
destroyers USS Ellis and USS Cole of the duty of
shadowing the German passenger liner Columbus. Later that same day,
heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa replaced the destroyers in trailing
the passenger ship.The
heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa disembarked the scuttled German
passenger liner Columbus's "distressed mariners" at Ellis Island, New
York City.The
destroyer USS Twiggs, on neutrality patrol in the Yucatan
Channel, relieved the destroyer USS Evans of the duty of
trailing the British RFA tanker Patella.The
boom defense vessel HMS Bayonet struck a mine and sank in the
Firth of Forth, Scotland. Of the ship’s complement, 3 died.The
destroyer USS Twiggs, on neutrality patrol in the Yucatan
Channel, continued trailing the British RFA tanker Patella.The
destroyer USS Philip relieved the destroyer USS Twiggs
of the neutrality patrol duty of trailing the British RFA tanker Patella
off the east coast of Florida. While en route to Fort Lauderdale, the
USS Twiggs observed the light cruiser HMS Orion off Port Everglades and
anchored to keep an eye on the British warship as the latter prowled the
coast.The
repair ship HMS Dolphin struck a mine and sank 1.5 miles south-southeast
of Blyth, Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, all 7
survived.The
minesweeping trawler HMS Glen Albyn struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe,
Scotland in the North Sea.The
minesweeping trawler HMS Promotive struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe,
Scotland in the North Sea.The
minesweeping trawler HMS Loch Doon struck a mine and sank east of Blyth,
Scotland in the North Sea.The
anti-submarine trawler HMS Barbara Robertson was sunk by gunfire by the
U-30, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp, approximately 35 miles
northwest of Butt of Lewis in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s
complement, 1 died and the survivors were picked up by the Swedish steam
merchant Hispania.The
battleship HMS Barham was torpedoed and damaged by the U-30,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp, 66 miles west of the
Butt of Lewis, Hebrides in the North Atlantic Ocean. Four crew members
were lost. The HMS Barham was able to proceed under her own power to
Liverpool, but was out of action for six months while being repaired at
Birkenhead by Cammell Laird and returned to service on June 30, 1940.The
Uruguayan government gave the German freighter Tacoma 24 hours to leave
the port of Montevideo, deeming the ship an auxiliary war vessel since
she had assisted various maneuvers of the German pocket battleship SMS
Admiral Graf Spee and embarked her crew when that warship was scuttled.
U-Boat LossesThe U-36, commanded by Korvettenkapitän Wilhelm Fröhlich, was sunk in the
North Sea southwest of Kristiansand, Norway by a torpedo from the
submarine HMS Salmon.
All
of the ship’s complement of 40 died. During its career under
Korvettenkapitän
Fröhlich the U-36
sank 2 ships for a total of 2,813 tons and captured 1 ship for a total
of 1,617 tons.
Attacks on Allied and Neutral Merchant ShipsThe
unescorted Finnish steam merchant Mercator was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-21, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim, southeast of Buchan
Ness, Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 1 died and 35
survivors were picked up by the Peterhead lifeboat Julia Park Barry of
Glasgow and the motor fishing vessel Bread Winner or reached land by
lifeboat. The 4,260 ton Mercator was carrying general cargo, including
coffee, maize, wheat, linseed, casein, and groundnut meal and was bound
for Helsinki, Finland.The
neutral and unescorted Norwegian steam merchant Arcturus was torpedoed
and sunk by the U-31, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost,
east of Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 9 died and
8 survivors were picked up by the Danish steam merchant Ivar. The 1,277
ton Arcturus was carrying general cargo, including tea, gas stoves,
steel wire, cardboard folders and diaries, boots, shoes, and machinery
and was bound for Trondheim, Norway.The
German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee stopped the 10,086 ton British
freighter Doric Star west of Southwest Africa in the southern Atlantic
Ocean. The warship then torpedoed, shelled, and sank the
merchantman.A
straggler from convoy HN-3 due to a gale, the 3,829 ton British steam
merchant Eskdene was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from the U-56,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Zahn, approximately 70 miles
northeast of Tyne, England in the North Sea. The 29 crewmen abandoned
ship and were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Hild. On
December 7, the abandoned Eskdene was found by an aircraft and the next
day towed to the Tyne by the British tug Bullger and beached on Head
Sands. The ship was later refloated, repaired and returned to service in
October 1940.The
unescorted and neutral Danish steam merchant Ove Toft was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-31, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost,
approximately 100 miles east of the Tyne, England in the North Sea. Of
the ship’s complement, 6 died and 15 survived. The 2,135 ton Ove Toft
was carrying goal and was bound for Gothenburg, Sweden.The
Swedish steam merchant Rudolf was torpedoed and sunk by the U-56,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Zahn, in the North Sea. Of the
ship’s complement, 9 died and 14 survivors were picked up by the British
trawler Cardew and the Swedish steam merchant Gunlög. The 2,119 ton
Rudolf was carrying coal and was bound for Malmö, Sweden.The
German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee stopped the 7,983 ton British
freighter Tairoa. The warship then sank the merchantman.The
unescorted Norwegian steam merchant Gimle was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-31, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost, in the North Sea.
Of the ship’s complement, 3 died and 16 survived. The 1,271 ton Gimle
was carrying coke nuts and was bound for Gothenburg, Sweden.
The
unescorted and neutral Norwegian steam merchant Primula was torpedoed
and sunk by the U-31, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost,
approximately 120 miles east of Stonehaven, Scotland in the North Sea.
Of the ship’s complement, 8 died and 7 survivors were picked up by the
Danish steam merchant Wm.Th. Malling. The 1,024 ton Primula was carrying
ballast and was bound for the United Kingdom.Sailing
with Convoy OB-46, the British steam merchant Navasota was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-47, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien,
approximately 150
miles west of Bishop Rock in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s
complement, 37 died and 45 survivors were picked up by the destroyer HMS
Escapade and the British steam merchant Clan Farquhar. The 8,795
ton Navasota was carrying ballast and was bound for Buenos Aires,
Argentina.The
Estonian steam merchant Agu was torpedoed and sunk by the U-31,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost, in the North Sea. All of
the ship’s complement of 18 died. The 1,575 ton Agu was carrying coal
and was bound for Gothenburg, Sweden.The
unescorted and neutral Swedish steam merchant Vinga was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-31
approximately 100 miles east of Dundee, Scotland in the North Sea. Of
the ship’s complement, all 22 survived and were picked up by the Danish
steam merchant Transporter. The 1,974 ton Vinga was carrying coal and
was bound for Gothenburg, Sweden.The
neutral Norwegian motor tanker Britta was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-47, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien, 45 miles southwest of
Longships Lighthouse, southwestern England in the eastern Atlantic
Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 6 died and 24 survivors were picked up
by the Belgian trawler Memlinc. The 6,214 ton Britta was carrying
ballast and was bound for Curaçao.The
unescorted British steam merchant Thomas Walton was torpedoed and sunk
by the U-38, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe, inside
Norwegian territorial waters south of Svolvaer. Of the ship’s
complement, 13 died and 31 survivors were picked up by the German steam
merchant Sebu. The 4,460 ton Thomas Walton was carrying ballast and was
bound for Narvik, Norway.The
neutral Dutch motor merchant Tajandoen was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-47, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien, in the eastern
Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 6 died and 62 survived. The
8,159 ton Tajandoen was carrying general cargo, including cement, iron,
steel and glass and was bound for Batavia, Netherlands East Indies.The
German pocket battleship SMS Admiral Graf Spee stopped and sank the
3,895 ton British freighter Streonshalh in the South Atlantic Ocean.The
neutral Danish steam merchant Scotia was torpedoed and sunk by the U-23,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer, in the North Sea. Of the
ship’s complement, 19 died and 2 survivors were picked up by the Danish
steam merchant Hafnia. The 2,400 ton Scotia was carrying ballast and was
bound for the United Kingdom.A
straggler from Convoy OB-48, the British steam merchant Brandon was
torpedoed and sunk by the U-48, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Herbert
Schultze, 80 miles southwest of Fastnet, Ireland in the eastern Atlantic
Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 9 died and the survivors were picked up
by the Belgian trawlers Marie Jose Rosette and Tritten. The 6,668 ton
Brandon was carrying ballast and was bound for Port Everglades, Florida.The
unescorted and neutral Danish steam merchant Magnus was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-20, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinz Moehle,
approximately 40 miles east-northeast of Peterhead, Scotland in the
North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 18 died and 1 survivor was picked
up by the British steam trawler Philippe. The 1,339 ton Magnus was
carrying ballast and was bound for Methil, Scotland.Sailing
with Convoy OB-48, the British motor tanker San Alberto was torpedoed
and sunk by the U-48, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schultze,
approximately 120 miles south of Cape Clear, Ireland in the eastern Atlantic
Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 1 died and 36 survivors were picked up
by the Belgian tanker Alexandre André. The 7,397 ton San Alberto was
carrying ballast and was bound for Trinidad.The
Norwegian steam merchant Føina was torpedoed and sunk by the U-20,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinz Moehle, north of Scotland in the
northern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 18 died. The
1,674 ton Føina was carrying ballast and was bound for Grangemouth,
Scotland.Dispersed
from Convoy HG-9, the British steam merchant Willowpool struck a mine
and sank 3 miles east from Newarp Lightship off the eastern coast of
England in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, all 36 survived and
were picked up by the Gorleston lifeboat. The 4,815 ton Willowpool was
carrying iron ore and was bound for Middlesbrough, England.The
neutral Greek steam merchant Garoufalia was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-38, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe, inside Norwegian
territorial waters. Of the ship’s complement, 4 died and 25 survivors
were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Tellus. The 4,708 ton
Garoufalia was carrying ballast and was bound for Kirkenes, Norway. The attack was observed by
the Tellus
and the sinking of the Garoufalia
proved to be a huge propaganda blunder for the Germans as it proved to
both British and Norwegian authorities that German U-boats operated
inside Norwegian territorial waters. The Germans did not send other
U-boats on such patrols.The
British steam merchant Marwick Head struck a mine and sank south of
North Caister Buoy off the eastern coast of England in the North Sea. Of
the ship’s complement, 5 died and 5 survived. The 496 ton Marwick Head
was carrying coal and was bound for London, England.The
unescorted British steam merchant Deptford was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-38, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe, north-northwest of
Honningsvaag, Norway. Of the ship’s complement, 32 died and 5 survivors
were picked up by the Norwegian fishing vessel Firda and the Norwegian
steam merchant Nordnorge. The 4,101 ton Deptford was carrying iron ore
and was bound for Middlesbrough, England.The
unescorted Estonian steam merchant Mina was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-57, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Claus Korth, off the eastern coast of
England in the North Sea. All of the ship’s complement of 17 died. The
1,173 ton Mina was carrying ballast and was bound for Gothenburg,
Sweden.The
unescorted Greek steam merchant Germaine was stopped by gunfire and
after the crew abandoned ship was torpedoed and sunk by the U-48,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schultze, southwest of Ireland in
the eastern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement survived and
were picked up by the Norwegian motor merchant Vinland. The 5,217 ton
Germaine was carrying maize and was bound for Cork, Ireland.The
neutral and unescorted Norwegian steam merchant Glitrefjell was
torpedoed and sunk by the U-59, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Harald
Jürst, approximately 75 miles east of St. Abb´s Head, Scotland in the
North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 5 died and 13 survivors were picked
up by the Greek steam merchant Icarion. The 1,568 ton Glitrefjell was
carrying ballast and was bound for Tyne, England.The
neutral and unescorted Swedish steam merchant Lister was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-59
approximately 130 miles off Newcastle, England in the North Sea. Of the
ship’s complement, all 19 survived and were picked up by the destroyer
HMS Eclipse or reached land by lifeboat. The 1,366 ton Lister was
carrying wood and was bound for Antwerp, Belgium.The
neutral Danish steam merchant Bogø was torpedoed and sunk by the U-59,
commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Harald Jürst, 75 miles east of the
Isle of May off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s
complement, 17 died and 3 survivors were picked up by the British
trawler River Earn. The 1,214 ton Bogø was carrying ballast and was
bound for Methil, Scotland.The
neutral Danish steam merchant Jaegersborg was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-59 east of the Firth
of Forth, Scotland in the North Sea. All of the ship’s complement of 18
died. The 1,245 ton Jaegersborg was carrying agricultural products and
was bound for Leith, Scotland.The
British steam merchant City of Kobe struck a mine and sank sank near
Cross Sand Buoy, Great Yarmouth off the eastern coast of England in the
North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 1 died and 30 survivors were picked
up by the minesweeping trawler HMS Tumby and the British
coasters Corinia and Faxfleet. The 4,373 ton City of Kobe was carrying
general cargo and coal and was bound for India.The
Swedish steam merchant Mars struck a mine and sank one mile east of St.
Marys Lightvessel near Blyth off the eastern coast of England in the
North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 7 died and 15 survived. The 1,877
ton Mars was carrying wood pulp and was bound for London, England.The
Swedish steam merchant Carl Henckel was torpedoed and sunk by the U-21,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim, off the Isle of May off
the coast of Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 10
died and 7 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian Steam merchant Hop.
The 1,352 ton Carl Henckel was carrying coal and was bound for
Stockholm, Sweden.The
Swedish steam merchant Mars was torpedoed and sunk by the U-21 off the Isle of May off
the coast of Scotland. Of the ship’s complement, 18
died and 1 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian Steam merchant Hop.
The 1,475 ton Mars was carrying coal and was bound for Stockholm,
Sweden.The
Norwegian steam merchant Rudolf was torpedoed and sunk by the U-46,
commanded by Herbert Sohler, approximately 110 miles east-northeast of
Rattray Head, Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, all
15 survived and were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchants Biarritz
and Bjerka. The 924 ton Rudolf was carrying ballast and was bound for
the United Kingdom.The
British steam merchant Gryfevale damaged by a mine three miles east of
the Tyne Pier off the east coast of England in the North Sea. The 4,434
ton Gryfevale was carrying cotton seed, oil cake, and rice and was bound
for Leith, England.The
British steam merchant Stanholme struck a mine and sank off Foreland
Point in the Bristol Channel in the Irish Sea. Of the ship’s complement,
12 died and 12 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant
Liv. The 2,473 ton Stanholme was carrying coal and was bound for London,
England.The
Danish steam merchant Hanne struck a mine and sank 1 mile east of Blyth
Pier, Scotland in the North Sea. Of the ship’s complement, 15 died and 2
survived. The 2,473 ton Stanholme was carrying ballast and was bound for
Blyth.The
258 ton British fishing steam trawler Resercho struck a mine and sank
approximately 6 miles southeast by east from Flamborough Head, England
in the North Sea.The
neutral and unescorted British steam merchant Luna was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-32, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Paul Büchel, in the North
Sea. The 959 ton Luna was carrying general cargo, including rubber hose,
zinc plates, and hessian cloth and was bound for Trondheim, Norway.
Axis Merchant Shipping LossesThe
destroyer HMS Hyperion intercepted the 32,354 ton German passenger liner Columbus 450 miles east of
Cape May, New Jersey. The Columbus wais scuttled to prevent capture. Two
crewmen perish in the abandonment. The heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa rescued the Columbus's survivors (567 men and 9 women stewardesses)
and set course for New York City, the only U.S. port that could handle
such a large and sudden influx of aliens.The
light cruiser HMS Orion intercepted the German freighter Arauca off
Miami, Florida. The Arauca put in to Port Everglades to avoid capture.
The destroyer Truxtun had trailed the merchantman at one point.
The destroyer Philip was present when Arauca reached sanctuary.
USAAC B-18 (21st Reconnaissance Squadron), however, witnessed the shot
that HMS Orion fired over Arauca's bow (in the attempt to force the
latter to heave-to) splashing inside American territorial waters off
Hialeah, Florida. Learning of this incident,
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull instructed U.S. Ambassador to the
Court of St. James Joseph P. Kennedy to remind the British Foreign
Office that, as neutrals, the American republics are entitled to have
their waters "free from the commission of any hostile act by any
non-American belligerent nation." The U.S. Navy eventually commissions
Arauca as refrigerated store ship USS Saturn.
Other Battle of the Atlantic EventsThe
administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a diplomatic
note protesting the British policy of seizing German goods on neutral
(especially, U.S.) ships. A similar policy in
World War I led to tensions between the British and American governments.U.S.
Secretary of State Hull urged U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in the United
Kingdom to urge the Contraband Commission in London to release the U.S.
freighter Nishmaha (then at Marseilles, France), which had been held 25
days and was considered "a most unreasonable detention."U.S.
Consul General in Hamburg, Wilbur Keblinger, reported that German prize
control authorities were detaining more than 125 neutral ships in German
ports: at least 40 Swedish, 12 Danish, 5 Norwegian, 40 Finnish, 14
Estonian and 14 Latvian, comprising practically all the neutral vessels
clearing Baltic or Scandinavian ports with cargos of goods that are on
the German contraband list.The
U.S. freighter Azalea City, detained at London by British authorities
since November 27, was released to proceed to Antwerp, Belgium and
Rotterdam, Netherlands, after certain cargo was detained for guaranties.British
Admiralty scientists led by Dr. C. F. Goodeve and Dr. E. C. Bullard
devised a method to demagnetize ships to prevent from them from
detonating magnetic mines. The system , known
as "degaussing," involved fitting an electric cable around the hull of a
ship and creating a magnetic field exactly opposite to that of the ship.
The scientists utilized a German parachute mine recovered by Commander
John G. D. Ouvry and Doctor Albert Wood on November 23, 1939 on the
mudflats at Shoeburyness.Captain
Hans Langsdorff of the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee shot himself
in Buenos Aires, Argentina.The
U.S. freighter Exochorda arrived at Naples, Italy with the 45 tons of
tin plate condemned by the British prize court at Gibraltar among her
cargo, having been permitted to sail by her master's agreeing to ship
the 45 tons of tin to Marseilles, France from Genoa. Another 100 tons of
tin, however, consigned to a Swiss buyer, are put on the "detained list"
and held in Genoa at the disposal of the British consul.
That turn of affairs prompted U.S. Ambassador
in Italy William Phillips, to take up the matter with the British
Ambassador, who expresses his awareness of the "irritation and
resentment...in American commercial and shipping circles" over the
seemingly "arbitrary, careless, and casual" methods shown by the British
contraband control people.Twenty-one
American republics protested to France, Britain, and Germany because of
"the naval engagement which took place on the thirteenth instant off the
northeastern coast of Uruguay, between certain British naval vessels and
the German vessel Graf von Spee."The
U.S. Department of State dispatched a "vigorous protest" to the British
Foreign Office concerning the British practice of removing and censoring
U.S. mail from British and U.S. and neutral ships.The
U.S. Consul General in Hamburg reported that German prize control
authorities had released all but seven neutral vessels detained in
German ports for the evaluation of cargo deemed contraband.
The objective of WW2Timelines.com is to provide a day by day account of the events that lead up to and were part of the greatest conflict known to mankind. There are accounts for the activities of each particular day and timelines for subjects and personalities. It is the of this website intent to provide an unbiased account of the war. Analysis, effects caused by an event, or prior or subsequent pertinent events are presented separately and indicated as text that is italicized.
WW2timelines.com
Contact us using our email page