F. S. Bell 1939. "Exeter's" six eight-inch guns were mainly responsible for seriously damaging the in the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939. In this battle, "Exeter" also incurred severe damage from seven hits by eleven-inch shells and suffered 61 killed and 23 wounded. One salvo from the "Graf Spee" did a great deal of damage to the wheelhouse and killed all but three of the officers in it. Bell survived with minor injuries and he ordered that the remaining turrets should continue firing on the enemy. As damage control parties battled fires and flooding, Bell used a compass from one
HMS Trompeuse (1799) HMS Trompeuse (1799) HMS "Trompeuse" was the French privateer "Mercure", captured in 1799. She foundered in the English Channel in 1800. British records on "Mercure" are ambiguous. French records are more informative. Two seminal British references declare that captured "Mercure" in May 1797. However, there is no letter in the "London Gazette" for "Melampus" capturing a "Mercure" in 1797, which by itself is not unusual, but two other sources, one of them a letter in the "London Gazette" by the captain of "Melampus", puts his capture of a "Mercure" in February 1799 (see below). Winfield has "Mercure" being named "Trompeuse"