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 Musquito (1799) HMS Musquito (1799) HMS "Musquito" (or "Mosquito") was a 12-gun schooner, previously a French privateer. The Royal Navy captured her in 1799. having just been lost to capture, the navy changed her name to "Musquito". During her brief service on the Jamaica station "Musquito" captured several merchantmen and a small armed vessel. The Navy sold her in 1802. The Royal Navy captured a privateer, possibly "Hunter", in the West Indies in 1799. At some point in May 1799, "Musquito" and captured a Spanish schooner from Port au Plat that was carrying dollars. In second-half of 1799, "Musquito" captured the French