Battle of Coronel and Falkland Islands

[TOOTH]

I have several questions relating to the battle of coronel and the battle of the Falkland Islands.First, has the wrecks of the ships Good Hope and Monmouth ever been found?Alternatively,what about the ships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau ?I know that they are war graves but I have not been able to find out much details about the wrecks.I beleve that the battles happened close to land and I didn't know if they could be reached by divers like the jutland wrecks are.As a afternote, Does anyone know where I could find information regarding Maximilian Graf von Spee or his two sons who I beleve all died in the battle of the Falkland Islands either on the internet or in books.

Thanks

[Esskay]

A google search brings up quite a few sites - some in German - if you can read it - the ubiquitous Wikipaedia has info in English here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_von_Spee

but nothing I could see about his sons.

Also found this book on Amazon - that sounds interesting

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coronel-Falklands-...t/dp/1841580457

Cheers

Sue

[PeterH]

The von Spee sons:

Graf Otto von Spee

Born 10 July 1890 Kiel

Died 8 December 1914 "SMS Nuernberg", Falkland Islands

Graf Heinrich von Spee

Born 24 April 1893 Kiel

Died 8 December 1914 "SMS Gneisenau", Falkland Islands

Survived by their sister,Graefin Hubertha von Spee (1894-1954).

Photo of the brothers here:

http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/webpa...nd_Heinrich.jpg

[ionia]

Coronel was fought some 20 nautical miles from the coast of South America and in much deeper water than the shallow North Sea. GOOD HOPE and MONMOUTH sank at night and only dead reckoning positions would be available. I do not know whether the wrecks have been charted. The Falklands battle was fought about 90 nm from the Falkland Islands (the action with the SCHARNHORST AND GNEISENAU) and much further out in respect of the light cruisers. These sinkings took place in deep water. However, one German light cruiser, SMS DRESDEN escaped to be sunk later in Cumberland Bay, Juan Fernandez Is. off the coast of Chile. This wreck has been dived on.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

... the battles happened close to land relatively, but still several miles from it. There is also the matter of the land involved, the logistical support would, in my opinion, be easier in the North Sea than in the Pacific or Atlantic.There is more interest in and thus financial support for diving Jutland than either of these two battles. Also the location of the wrecks of Coronel is complicated by the various Pacific Ocean trenches in the area.

Ah Ionia, got in with a better post while I was looking at the atlas!

Edited 27 August , 2007 by per ardua per mare per terram

[David Seymour]

For Coronel and the Falklands read G Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 1962. Also excellent is R Hough, The pursuit of Admiral von Spee, recently re-published.

Best wishes,

David

[Ice Tiger]

Lew

Click on the website link in my signature & check out Norman Ford Bryan. He was lost with the Monmouth.

Andy