HMNZS Achilles (70)

HMNZS Achilles was a light cruiser operated by the New Zealand Navy, from 1933 to 1946, when she was transferred to the Indian Navy, under the name INS Delhi.

In late 1939 she was part of the South American Cruiser Squadron, a squadron hunting for the powerful German commerce raider Graf Spee, that included another heavy cruiser, HMS Exeter, and the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles. On December 3, 1939, Commodore Henry Harewood, the squadron commander, was advised two merchant ships, off the coast of Africa, had been able to send out distress signals that they were under attack from a Pocket Battleship. Harewood guessed that, knowing merchant vessels had been able to advise authorities was off Africa, the Pocket Battleship would proceed to a diffent area. He guessed that the Pocket Battleship would head to the waters off the estuary of the River Plate,and he ordered Exeter and Achilles to join him there. His fourth ship, HMS Cumberland was underoing repairs in the Falkland Islands.

Exeter and Achilles joined Ajax on December 12th. Exeter, Ajax and Achilles spotted Graf Spee's smoke shortly after Dawn, on December 13th. They immediately proceeded to close with her, and attack her. Exeter attacked her from the west, and Achilles joined Ajax attacked from the east, splitting Graf Spee's shots.

Graf Spee's main armament, 6 x 11 inch guns, were more powerful than the squadron's guns, and had longer range. Her secondary armament, 8 x 5.9 inch guns, was comparable to the main armament of the light cruisers. Nevertheless, they went in to attack. The heavy cruiser Exeter attacked her from one side, while Achilles and Ajax attacked from the other side. The Battle of the River Plate went on for most of the day. All the vessels used more than half their ammunition. All the ships were damaged.

The Exeter had her bridge, and two forward turrets destroyed, and her remaining turret had lost electrical power. Other damage reduced her speed to 18 knots. Achilless too had two turrets destroyed, and had expended 80 percent of her ammunition.

The Royal Navy's cruisers didn't have to sink the Graf Spee. They inflicted crippling damage on her, which was enough to curtail her sortie. Since her damage was sufficient to require returning to Germany for repair, Graf Spee's career was over, as heavy Royal Navy vessels would destroy her, before she could reach Germany.

The damaged Graf Spee broke off the battle, entered neutral Uruguayan waters, and moored in neutral Monte Video. Four days later the German captain sailed from Monte Video, with a skeleton crew, and scuttled his ship while still in Uruguayan waters.