Information Board SMS Dresden

"In early February 1915, the permanence of the Dresden in the southern Seas is untenable. Despite the neutrality of Chile, the English keep on patrolling the coast of our country getting up to Coronel. Obtaining supplies is every day more difficult, especially coal. Commander Ludecker decides to sail to open seas soon and informs Berlin on February 14th when he sets sail under harsh weather conditions, searching for a route that allowed him to get to Germany.
Reaching the exploration route to Australia, the commander thinks he can go ahead, but the engineer officer Stein informs him that the worn out engines are not in condition to endure such a long journey.
On 8th March, a heavy fog falls on the ship. Fuel is scarce and the Dresden is alone again, cruising in that huge Pacific Ocean. 15 kilometres away, a ship with three funnels and two masts can be barely seen through binoculars, they know her to be the English HMS Kent.
On March 9th the Dresden anchors at the Mas Ajuerra island with her machinery creaking, anchoring in Cumberland Bay at about 500 meters from the coast, after having been chased the previous day by the English cruiser.
[Some unreadable text]
The answer of the cruiser is weak, and the Dresden is definitely neutralised.
Ludecke orders to hoist the 'cease fire' flag to parley. He orders Lieutenant Canaris to go to the Glasgow to express her commander that they are in territorial waters of a neutral country, and attacking them is a flagrant violation of the International Law. Ludecke also wanted to get time to sink the ship. Firing stops and the English cruiser approaches at a prudent distance. Canaris is kindly received by Commander John Luce, who, once heard the message from the German commander, replies 'We have orders to destroy the Dresden where and when we find her'. The rest will be fixed by the Foreign office with the Chilean Government'.
While Canaris parleys, Ludecke orders to sink the ship. The crew starts abandoning her. The air is unbreathable because of the smoke and gunpowder smell, wounded sailors, destruction and fire outbreaks.
The order is to reach the coast by any means . Lieutenant Boecret and a couple of sailors were in charge of opening the valves, placing explosive charges and activating the ship's magazine, and in a race against time they got away from the ship on a boat.
at 1115 am on March 14th 1915, an explosion announces the end of the Dresden. Mortally wounded, ?????she trimmed by the bow, sinking slowly until only the stern and the Imperial Flag of Germany were the last to be seen finally going to the bottom of" Text unreadable.

Leutnant Wilhelm Canaris escaped from Chile and made his way back to Germany in October 1915, even stopping in Plymouth, England on the way. He was then moved into an Intelligence role and eventually made it to the the rank of Admiral and was head of the Abwehr from 1935-1944. He was executed by hanging at Flossenburg on 9 April 1945.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Information Board/Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward