SEA STRATEGY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1940, Page 8

SEA STRATEGY.

THE GRAF SPEE BATTLE. ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS. How strategy played a big part in the historic sea fight between the German .pocket battleship Graf Spee and the email British squadron in December last off the River Plate was described at the Rotary Club luncheon to-day by the eecond in command of H.M.S. Achilles, Commander D. M. L. Neame. The guests of honour included, in addition to Commander Neame, 16 other members of the Achilles' complement. Captain W. E. Parry was unavoidably absent. Commander Neame said that the British Admiral, Sir Henry Hanvood, had anticipated that the* Graf Spee would make for a focal point of trade off the River Plate and had decided when he met the Nazi ship to attack at all costs, day or night. The commander gave a detailed account of the sea action on the historic occasion, and described how the Achilles and Ajax followed the battleship when the Exeter, which had taken the brunt of the battle in the early.stage, had to drop back. Commander Neame described one exciting moment of the battle. He said that on the horizon to starboard, they saw a ship. She looked like a cruiser of the Hipper class with eight-inch guns, and they thought they had run into a trap. All they could do was to signal! that an enemy was in eight. Then the i strange ship came up and they found ] she was a liner. j Commander Neame said that the ' Achilles was 168 days on her cmise, J and.had only ten days in harbour. Thev did not get any letters, but there was I radio,, and aerial* made the Achilles j look like a Christmas tree. I Finally. Commander Neame commented upon the magnificent spirit shown on the Achilles, and said that if *nat spirit was continued there couid be no doubt about the final result of things. I