HMS Exeter was a British Royal Navy ship, specifically a York-class heavy cruiser, launched in 1929. She served during World War II and was known for her role in the Battle of the River Plate in 1939, where she engaged the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The ship was equipped with various armaments, including 8-inch guns, and had a displacement of around 8,000 tons. HMS Exeter was heavily damaged in the Battle of the Java Sea in 1942 and ultimately sunk by Japanese forces later that year, marking the end of her service.