HMS Exeter

E52009

HMS Exeter was a Royal Navy York-class heavy cruiser best known for its role in World War II, including its participation in the Battle of the River Plate against the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.

Aliases (1)

Statements (45)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Royal Navy warship
York-class heavy cruiser
armament 6 × 8-inch guns in three twin turrets
secondary anti-aircraft guns
torpedo tubes
beam approximately 58 feet
builder Devonport Dockyard
category Maritime incidents in March 1942
Ships built in Plymouth, Devon
Shipwrecks in the Java Sea
World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom
causeOfLoss Japanese naval gunfire and torpedoes
commissioned 1931-07-27
conflict Second World War
country United Kingdom
crewStatusAfterSinking many survivors taken prisoner by Japanese forces
dateOfBattle 1939-12-13
dateOfSinking 1942-03-01
displacement approximately 8,400 tons standard
era World War II
fate sunk in action
laidDown 1928-08-01
laterTheatreOfWar Dutch East Indies campaign
Pacific War
launched 1929-07-18
length approximately 575 feet
locationOfSinking Java Sea
namedAfter City of Exeter
navalTreatyContext Washington Naval Treaty cruiser
notableEngagement Battle of the River Plate
notableFor role in Battle of the River Plate
service in early Pacific War against Japan
operator Royal Navy
opponentShip German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee
pennantNumber 68
predecessorNameUsage third Royal Navy ship named HMS Exeter
propulsion steam turbines
returnedToPort Falkland Islands after Battle of the River Plate
serviceEndDecade 1940s
serviceEntryDecade 1930s
shipClass York class
shipType heavy cruiser
sunkInBattle Second Battle of the Java Sea
sustainedDamage Battle of the River Plate
theatreOfWar South Atlantic


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