A German light cruiser in action, probably at the Battle of the Falkland Islands, 8 December 1914 RMG PV3152, William Lionel Wyllie, circa 1915

A german light cruiser in action, probably at the battle of the falkland islands, 8 december 1914 the only three- or four-funnelled warships with a platform on a pole foremast that was just below funnel-top height were german light cruisers of the 'königsberg' and 'dresden' classes. The only action in which ships of these classes, together with other german vessels, were engaged (i. E. Not single-ship actions) was the battle of the falklands on 8 december 1914, in which the 'nürnberg' (1906) was sunk and the 'dresden' (1907) escaped. Although this sketch appears to show light cruisers rather than 'scharnhorst' and 'gneisenau' , it is probably a preliminary study for almost exactly the same composition showing them in action at the falklands battle reproduced in wyllie and w. F wren's 'sea fights of the great war' (1918) f. P. 102. Date: circa 1915. Dimensions: 251 mm x 353 mm. Collection: Fine art.