HMS Achilles Bell, Auckland Museum - Auckland, New Zealand
S 36° 51.648 E 174° 46.650
60H E 301876 N 5918263
This bell from HMS Achilles is on display in the Auckland Museum's World War II Memorial Collection (Level 3).
Waymark Code: WMGHDA
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 03/07/2013
Views: 6
This bell from HMS Achilles is on display in the Auckland Museum's World War II Memorial Collection (Level 3).
The importance of the bell is noted in the display text:
Achilles at the River Plate
We started the war as the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy with the two modern six-inch gun cruisers of the Leander class, HMS Achilles and Leander.
Achilles began patrolling the South Atlantic in search of German transport ships and surface raiders. In company with the cruisers HMS Exeter and Ajax, Achilles fought the first naval action of the war against the German pocket battleship, Admiral Graf Spee, on 13 December 1939.
During the 'Battle of the River Plate', Exeter was badly damaged and forced to withdraw. Ajax and Achilles were also hit and withdrew out of range but continued to shadow the German battleship. British casualties numbered 72 killed and 47 wounded, including four killed and nine wounded on Achilles.
The crippled Admiral Graf Spee sailed into Montevideo in neutral Uruguay. On 17 December 1939 Captain Hans Langsdorf sank his ship outside the harbour and committed suicide. The sinking was hailed as a major victory, and Achilles and her crew returned to New Zealand to a hero's welcome on 23 February 1940.
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