Battle of the Uruguyan shelf 31/07/39
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Argentina using the ex German minelayers Bremse and Brummer tried some
offensive minelaying into Brazilian coastal waters to disrupt the local shipping
in the southern waterways. The two minelayers were backed up by the Uruguyan
cruiser Montevideo and the Argentinian cruiser Almirante Brown.
The Brazilians knew of the Argentinian minelayers and had built a ship
expressly to intercept the two ships. With another battlecruiser and four other
cruisers in support the Argentinian ships were outgunned and had to rely on
speed to get them out of the trap the Brazilians had set.
Brazilian Forces
Pernambuco, Esperito Santo , 2 Tocantins class cruisers, 2 Rondonia class cruisers. Background air support and cover was supplied by the CVE Amazonas and BC Maranhao with two Bahia class AA cruisers and 4 Fortaleza class destroyers as escorts with their leader Alagoas.
Argentinian and Uruguyan forces.
2 x Jaguar (ex-Bremse) class minelayers, cruiser Montevideo and cruiser Almirante Brown.