HMS Canopus

Von Spee's ships appeared on the 8th of December and he didn't know the islands were now harbouring significant naval strength.

As the Leiter, Gneisenau and Nuremberg approached Port Stanley, they were fired on by HMS Canopus, which had been grounded as a guard ship.

Now alerted to the British threat, von Spee turned his ships in an attempt to flee.

At around one o'clock, the faster British ships caught up and engaged.