Graf Spee
Pocket Battleship - WW2 German Fleet

Battleship Graf Spee (Admiral)

Graf Spee

The Graf Spee was a pocket battleship launched by Germany in 1934 and named after the World War I Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee.

Although the Admiral Graf Spee is often called Graf Spee for short, it must not be confused with the uncompleted World War I German battle cruiser Graf Spee.

In 1939 the Admiral Graf Spee sank a number of merchant ships in the south Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, with the first on September 30. The Allies formed seven hunting groups in the Atlantic and one in the Indian Ocean to look for her, totalling three battleships, four aircraft carriers, and 16 cruisers. More groups were assembled later.

On December 13, 1939, she was found by the British Hunting Group G - the 8-inch gunned cruiser HMS Exeter, and 6-inch gunned light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles - in the Battle of the River Plate. After taking relatively superficial damage and retreating to the neutral port of Montevideo, the ship was scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff to avoid risking the battleship Graf Sspee crew in what he thought would be a losing battle.

In February 2004 a salvage team began work raising the Admiral Graf Spee. The operation is in part being funded by the government of Uruguay and as well as from the private sector, as the wreck is now a hazard to navigation. The first major section, the 27 ton heavy gunnery control station, was raised on 25 February 2004. It is expected to take several years to raise the entire wreck. Film director James Cameron is filming the salvage operation. After it has been raised it is planned that the ship will be restored and put on display at the National Marine Museum in Montevideo.