- Ad mir al ▁D ov eton ▁St ur de e . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁F alk lands ▁ ▁Upon ▁arrival ▁at ▁Port ▁Stanley ▁on ▁ 7 ▁December , ▁St ur de e ▁informed ▁his ▁capt ains ▁that ▁he ▁planned ▁to ▁re co al ▁the ▁entire ▁squad ron ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁from ▁the ▁two ▁available ▁col liers ▁and ▁to ▁begin ▁the ▁search ▁for ▁the ▁East ▁Asia ▁Squadron , ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁running ▁for ▁home ▁around ▁the ▁tip ▁of ▁South ▁America , ▁the ▁day ▁after . ▁Vice - Ad mir al ▁Maxim ilian ▁von ▁Spe e , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁squad ron , ▁had ▁other ▁plans ▁and ▁intended ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁radio ▁station ▁at ▁Port ▁Stanley ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 8 ▁December . ▁The ▁appearance ▁of ▁two ▁German ▁ships ▁at ▁ 0 7 : 3 0 ▁caught ▁St ur de e ' s ▁ships ▁by ▁surprise , ▁but ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁driven ▁off ▁by ▁ ▁shell s ▁fired ▁by ▁the ▁pred read n ought ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁when ▁they ▁came ▁within ▁range ▁around ▁ 0 9 : 2 0 . ▁Car nar von ▁completed ▁re co aling ▁at ▁ 0 8 : 0 0 ▁and ▁the ▁squad ron ▁cleared ▁the ▁har bour ▁by ▁ 1 0 : 3 0 . ▁St ur de e ▁ordered ▁" general ▁ch ase " ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁but ▁Car nar von ▁could ▁only ▁manage ▁ ▁and ▁fell ▁behind ▁the ▁other ▁British ▁ships . ▁His ▁two ▁battle c ru is ers ▁were ▁the