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 Lutine (1779) HMS Lutine (1779) Lutine was a frigate which served in both the French Navy and the Royal Navy. She was launched by the French in 1779. The ship passed to British control in 1793 and was taken into service as HMS "Lutine". She sank among the West Frisian Islands during a storm in 1799. She was built as a French with 32 guns, and was launched at Toulon in 1779. During the French Revolution, "Lutine" came under French Royalist control. On 18 December 1793, she was one of sixteen ships handed over to a British fleet at the end of