The HMS Exeter became synonymous with bravery and sacrifice. Renowned for engaging the German pocket battleship Graf Spee in 1939 off the coast of South America, her crew were celebrated as heroes by Winston Churchill upon their return. After extensive repairs, she was sent to the Far East, later to assist in the Battle of the Java Sea. Severely damaged by a Japanese shell, she attempted to withdraw and escape, only to be hunted and sunk by Japanese warships. She was rediscovered in remarkably preserved condition in 2007, but by 2015 the wreck had mysteriously vanished, destroyed by illegal salvagers.