Falkland Islands, Battle of the

In World War I, British naval victory (under Admiral Sir Frederick Sturdee) over German forces under Admiral Maximilian von Spee on 8 December 1914.

Von Spee intended to bombard the Falklands in passing before proceeding around the Cape of Good Hope to arouse the disaffected Boers of South Africa. However, there was already a British force stationed off the Falklands and when von Spee realised he had run into a trap he fled the area. The British gave chase and in the ensuing battle von Spee's squadron was entirely destroyed with a loss of 2,100 crew.

After the British defeat at Coronel, Admiral Sir John Fisher sent a powerful squadron of two battle cruisers, five other cruisers, and two armed ships into the South Atlantic under the command of Admiral Sturdee. They arrived in the Falkland Islands on 7 December 1914 and began coaling; the old battleship Canopus, armed with 12‐in guns, was already in the area, acting as a floating defence battery for the islands.

Von Spee approached the Falklands early on 8 December and sent the Gneisenau to bombard the islands. It was fired on by the Canopus and, fearing the fire came from coastal defence guns of unknown strength, the ship turned away. Von Spee then saw, over the masking shoreline, the tripod masts of the British battle cruisers and realised he had sailed into a trap. His squadron set off east at full speed but the British force had already raised steam and rapidly overhauled them. Battle opened at 12.51 p.m.; at 4.17 p.m. the Scharnhorst sank from the effects of British gunfire, and at 5.55 p.m., severely damaged, the Gneisenau was scuttled in deep water, with the loss of over 800 of the crew. Two other German ships were sunk; one escaped but was later caught and sunk. The British lost no ships, though some damage was done, and suffered only 5 killed and 16 wounded.