Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee Biography

Birth of Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee

Appointed Commander of the North Sea Fleet

Appointed Rear Admiral

Appointed Commander of the East Asia Squadron

Goes down with the Scharnhorst, sunk by the British under Admiral Sturdee. Death of Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee, during the sinking of the Scharnhorst

SMS Scharnhorst, von Spee's flagship, was sunk with all hands during the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914.

Appointed Commander of the Far East Squadron, patrols the Pacific

Appointed Commander of the Far East Squadron, patrols the Pacific

Defeats Craddock then sails around Cape Horn to scour the South Atlantic

The British under Craddock fail to prevent German commerce raiding in the south Pacific. The British are outnumbered & defeated & lose 2 cruisers & 1,500 crew. Spees forces sink the HMS Good Hope & HMS Monmouth. British defeat by Admiral Spee including the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau & Nurnberg

The German Navys South American commerce raiding force is destroyed. Sturdee sinks Spees flagship, SMS Scharnhorst, together with SMS Gneisenau, SMS Nurnberg & SMS Leipzig. Spee attempts a raid on the coaling station at Stanley in the Falkland Islands, unaware the British had sent reinforcements. British reversal of the defeat at Coronel

The Scharnhorst is sunk & von Spee drowns. Bombards the Falkland Islands not knowing of the presence of Admiral Sturdee

Death of Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee