The Achilles opened fire on the German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic on 13 December 1939. In doing so she became the first New Zealand unit to strike a blow at the enemy in World War II, and the first New Zealand warship to take part in a naval battle. This confrontation off Argentina was later called Battle of the River Plate, the first major naval engagement of World War II, during which the Achilles, defeated the Admiral Graf Spee. Parks Dingle Dell Reserve – In the 1950s Dingle Dell Reserve was described as the forgotten "Cinderella of Auckland’s Parks" in The New Zealand Herald. Today it is still a peaceful area located in the heart of St. Heliers, where people can enjoy a picnic or bush walk. The park hosts, amongst others, the native plants kohekohe and tanekaha, which are the results of native plantings undertaken in 1933. Dingle Dell was part of Major Thomas Bunbury's four farms, which he bought in 1842. It became a public reserve in 1930 and is now owned and managed by the Auckland Council. Glover Park – St Heliers has one relatively unknown volcano, a maar of unknown age. Its crater had formed a swamp by the time European settlers arrived in the area. On the seaward side, a Māori defended settlement once stood, and the landward side is marked by the water tower at its highest point. The Auckland City Council acquired the land in the 1930s and in 1953 half the area was drained and consolidated. In the same year the Tamaki Ex-Servicemen's Women's Auxiliary planted trees to commemorate the men of the district who had lost their lives during World War I and II. Unfortunately the drainage project of 1953 proved a failure because the area remained unstable and susceptible to flooding. Additional drainage in 1959 made the park safe, and allowed the area to be converted into the sports fields of Glover Park. It is unclear whether the trees that were planted in 1953 are still the same trees present in Glover Park today. Events Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon Park – New Zealand's first triathlon for children was held at St. Heliers in 1992 and attracted approximately 500 participants. Children compete over distances starting with a 50-metre swim, 4-kilometre cycle and 1-kilometre run. Since 1992 this event has grown considerably with 20,000 children competing in one of