Scharnhorst's Last Stand at the battle of Falkland Islands At the Battle of the Falkland Islands on December 8, 1914, the German armored cruiser SMS Scharnhorst faced a dire situation. After a successful campaign in the South Atlantic, Scharnhorst, commanded by Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee, was pursued by a British fleet seeking revenge for previous losses. As the British squadron, led by Admiral Doveton Sturdee, engaged, the Scharnhorst and its accompanying cruiser, SMS Gneisenau, fought va