Jack London autograph
Lot #689 in Auction #1784, SKU: 0000977642
This item appeared in our autograph auction and bidding has ended.
In 1939, London was an 18 year old sailor aboard HMS Exeter during the Battle of the River Plate. The German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was wreaking havoc against Allied merchantmen in the South Atlantic, his ship was despatched from Port Stanley with orders to engage the Graf Spee 'at once, by night or day'. On December 13th, 1939, the Graf Spee was targeting the route used by merchant ships off the mouth of the River Plate in Uruguay when it sighted HMS Exeter. The German captain, Langsdorff, turned to attack and fired a salvo at Exeter, hitting the wheelhouse and killing all but three of the officers in it. The Exeter responded with a salvo, but the Graf Spee continued to inflict massive damage on the aged British cruiser. Langsdorff managed to evade torpedoes fired by Exeter, and further German shells led to Exeter losing electrical power and retiring from the action. Graf Spee was then engaged by Ajax and Achilles, and, badly damaged, Langsdorff was forced to seek refuge in neutral Montevideo. The rules of neutrality, however, prevented the Germans from repairing their ship there, so, to save the lives of his crew, Langsdorff scuttled the Graf Spee in the mouth of the River Plate before committing suicide. This item is an 8x12 b/w shot of the damaged Exeter that has been boldly signed by London.
, SKU: 0000977642
High Bid: $20.00
# Bids: 1
| Bidder | Bid | Bid Date |
|---|---|---|
| 26330 | $20.00 | 4/3/2021 11:34:00 AM |
History does not include multiple bids by the same bidder.
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