The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Sphere December 23, 1939 380 & 381 THE RUNNING FIGHT BETWEEN THE GERMAN POCKET BATTLESHIP "GRAF SPEE" and THREE BRITISH CRUISERS How the Heavily-armed German Ship Was Forced to take Refuge in Montevideo Harbour, After Being Severely Punished by Her Small Antagonists — Told in a Series of " Sphere " Drawings and Diagrams Picture, top of pages 380-381: IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE FIGHT, which began in the morning of Wednesday, December 13, two British cruisers appear after the wireless summons had been sent out by the commander of the little force of cruisers in South Atlantic waters. Standing on the bridge of the Ajax he could see the big upper structure of the Graf Spee ahead of him. He calls Exeter and Achilles (thank heaven Exeter has 8-in. guns) to join in the attack. At the moment they are below the horizon, but soon their smoke is visible and a little later they are bulking up, their engines bursting to add something to their 32-34 knots. Soon they are within range of the enemy. It is this moment that "The Sphere's" artist has illustrated. In the forefront is H.M.S. Exeter, already under fire from the Graf Spee, with H.M.S. Achilles in the middle distance. Drawn for THE SPHERE by Montague Dawson Picture, middle of page 380 on the left: WHERE THE FIGHT TOOK PLACE: It was off the South American coast that the Graf Spee and the little Ajax saw one another. Picture, middle of page 380 on the right: H.M.S. "EXETER" AND HER SIX 8-IN. GUNS - The guns of this 1931 cruiser were a decisive factor in the running fight. Most of the firing must have taken place from her forward 8-in. gun turrets; the Exeter was not heavily armoured. Picture, bottom left of page 380: THE FLAGSHIP OF THE LITTLE SQUADRON OF THREE BRITISH CRUISERS - The Ajax had no guns bigger than 6-in., but she handled these nimbly enough. They can fire about twelve rounds per minute. Picture, bottom left of page 380: H.M.S. " ACHILLES,' THE THIRD VESSEL IN THE LITTLE SQUADRON - She also only boasted a 6-2)2. gun armament. Her speed is 32-34 knots. All three vessels seem to have kept well together without any embarrassing engine failure. Picture, middle of page 381: THE FIRST PHASE OF THE "GRAF SPEE" FIGHT took place about 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning of last week. Which British ship would find the German raider? Fate determined that it should be the little Ajax, 6-in. gun cruiser, which was convoying the French cargo and passenger ship Formose. The Graf Spee attacked the ship and was engaged by the Ajax, the pocket battleship replied, and so the historic fight began. Picture, bottom of page 381: THE INITIAL DUAL OF DAVID AND GOLIATH was followed by the appearance or two other British cruisers, Exeter and Achilles. All three got together and began to throw smoke screens round the German raider with her threatening 11-in. guns. If her mighty shells had got home in precise fashion there would have been little left of the trio of cruisers. But they were three nimble terriers of the sea and evidently took every advantage which the day offered. Drawn for THE SPHERE by Alfred Wooton.