CORONEL AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

DECISIVE ACTION, NO.2

James Hoare examines two early naval engagements of the Great War that resulted in the obliteration the German threat to Britain’s overseas empire.

Leipzig sinks aflame as the crew swim for the lifeboats.

FACTBOX: BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

Date: 8 December 1914

Commanders:

British:

Vice-Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee Rear-Admiral Archibald Stoddart German:

Vizeadmiral Maximilian von Spee Vessels British:

2 battlecruisers (HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible)

3 armoured cruisers (HMS Bristol, HMS Glasgow and HMS Carnarvon)

2 light cruisers (HMS Cornwall and HMS Kent)

1 armed merchantman (HMS Macedonia)

1 pre-dreadnought (HMS Canopus) German:

2 armoured cruisers (SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau)

3 light cruisers (SMS Leipzig, SMS Nürnberg and SMS Dresden)

2 colliers

1 transport ship

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