Henry Harwood - Second World War

Second World War

Harwood commanded the squadron consisting of the heavy cruisers HMS Cumberland and HMS Exeter, and the light cruisers HMS Achilles and HMS Ajax, which flew his broad pennant in the action against the Admiral Graf Spee at the River Plate.

Unable to divide his force, Harwood suspected that the raiding Admiral Graf Spee would try to strike next at the merchant shipping off the River Plate estuary between Uruguay and Argentina. With HMS Cumberland being absent for repairs at the Falklands, the three other cruisers were gathered off the estuary on 12 December and conducted manoeuvres. In the ensuing battle, HMS Exeter was severely damaged and forced to retire, while all other ships received moderate damage. HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles then shadowed the Graf Spee which entered the neutral Uruguayan capital Montevideo. After a tense period, the captain of the Graf Spee, Hans Langsdorff, scuttled his ship rather than face the overwhelmingly superior British force which he believed had been assembled. For this action, known as the Battle of the River Plate, Harwood was promoted to Rear-Admiral and knighted. In the 1956 film, The Battle of the River Plate, Harwood was played by Anthony Quayle.

From December 1940 to April 1942, Rear-Admiral Harwood served as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. In April 1942, Harwood was promoted to Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, flying his flag at HMS Nile. The Command was split and he became Commander-in-Chief, Levant in February 1943, during which year he engaged in flank support and seaborne supply of the British Eighth Army.

In April 1945, Sir Henry Harwood became Flag Officer Commanding the Orkneys and Shetlands (HMS Prosperine) until he retired from the service on 15 August 1945 with the rank of Admiral, having been declared medically unfit for further duty.

Sir Henry Harwood died in Goring-on-Thames in 1950.