Battle of Coronel
Pacific Ocean off Coronel, Biobío Region, Chile
What happened
The German East Asia Squadron under Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee fought a British squadron under Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock. Early in the First World War, a German squadron sailed across the Pacific toward South America. Off the coast of Chile, Cradock's older and weaker ships met Spee's more powerful cruisers. As night fell, two British armoured cruisers were sunk with all their crews, and the other British ships escaped.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was Britain's first defeat at sea in a century. Britain at once sent a much stronger fleet to hunt down Spee's squadron.
What came next
On 8 December 1914, the British destroyed Spee's squadron at the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and Spee and his sons were lost.
Did you know?
A memorial in the town of Coronel, put up in 1989, honours the British sailors with the words 'The sea is their only grave'.
Timeline
- 1 November 1914Spee defeats Cradock off Coronel.
- 8 December 1914The British win the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
- 1989A memorial is unveiled in Coronel.