As the Second World War loomed, the Falkland were in a good state of preparedness. The islands were vulnerable and there was a chance that the Japanese could establish a base for refuelling and revictualling there. Further defence measures were taken. A civil defence unit was set up and blackout was compulsory. Stanley children were evacuated to farm settlements on East and West Falklands along with their teachers and some parents. In August 1942, the 11th West Yorkshires arrived as a garrison force to be succeeded in 1944 by a detachment of the Royal Scots who remained there until the end of the war.

The British Admiralty sent hunting groups to search for Admiral Graf Spee, a dangerous heavy German cruiser that was commerce raiding in the South Atlantic. Three Royal Naval cruisers, HMS ships the Ajax, Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland trapped her off the estuary of the River Plate close to the coast of Uruguay and engaged her in battle.  In the ensuing battle HMS Exeter, the largest of the British cruisers with a longer range was most dangerous and targeted first. The first direct hit killed all on the bridge except the captain and two officers. Another direct hit took caused a serious fire. Badly damaged she had to withdraw and limped slowly to the Falkland Islands and Stanley harbour.

HMS NZ Achilles, a 7000-ton cruiser from the New Zealand Division and HMS Ajax suffered moderate damage in the battle but the Admiral Graf Spee’s fuel system was critically damaged. She ran for neutral Montevideo for repairs but was told her stay could not be beyond 72 hours. Graf Spee had had enough, she had been struck more than 50 times, 37 of her crew were killed and 57 wounded. The decision was made to scuttle her. The German crew and their officers reached Beunos Aires where the Argentines interred them. Captain Langsdorff, after losing his ship, shot himself.
The British ships, Ajax Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland made it back to Stanley for repair and to bury their dead. Casualties numbered 64 dead and 45 wounded. The hospital was full and many sailors were billeted around the town, particularly those off Exeter as she was so badly damaged.
The Falklands  gave generously in money and lives, indicating how close their ties and loyalties are. In World War II they contributed large sums of money and ten Spitfires carried the name 'Falkland Islands'.

Sources include: The Falkland Islands Through Philately- G D Moir, The Falkland Islands- Ian J Strange, An Historical Scrapbook of Stanley- John Smith

Photographic credits: Robert Maddocks, Imperial War Museum

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