Word: captain
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...identified as the light Achilles (7,030 tons) and the heavy Exeter (8,390 tons) -were flanking out to sea. Ajax apparently did the same, astern of Spee. This meant two disadvantages for the German -shoals and shore to starboard, glaring rising sun behind the enemy to port. Captain Langsdorff gave the order to work out to sea, into deeper water...
...went the four, zigzagging, varying speed, roaring steel at each other. The cruisers kept dashing in from all angles like hounds baiting a boar. In Spec's guts, the 62 British seamen-the youngest was 15, the oldest 72, every sort from captain to cabin boy-hollered their happy heads off every time they felt the Spec take...
According to one of the German sailors, the enemy used torpedoes. None of them hit, but they made Spee alter course and lose maneuvering advantages. For a while Captain Langsdorff himself took the wheel...
...Ajax and Achilles turned out to be meat by no means. With spectacular coordination they kept each other smoked while driving in for bite after bite. They hurt the Spee, and badly. Some of her guns were silenced-one 5.9 turret tilted. Captain Langsdorff ordered his vessel to the nearest haven, Montevideo...
...Captain Langsdorff called up the 62 captives, and as he set them free (under parole not to give away naval secrets), said to them: "The cruisers made a gallant fight. When people fight like that, personal enmity is lost...