HMS Exeter was a York class heavy cruiser built in Plymouth. She was launched on 18 July 1929 and completed on 27 July 1931.

At the outbreak of WWII she formed part of the South American Division and with Cumberland, Ajax and Achilles she engaged the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the river Plate on 13 December 1939, which culminated in the scuttling of the Admiral Graf Spee several days later. Exeter operated as a division on her own, Achilles and Ajax as the other, to split the fire of Graf Spee. Exeter was hit by seven 11-inch shells and several near misses caused significant splinter damage. Sixty-one of her crew were killed and another twenty-three wounded. All three 8-inch turrets were put out of action and her speed was reduced to 18 knots, forcing her to withdraw from battle.

Exeter made for the Falkland Islands for emergency repairs which took until January 1940. For a short time consideration was given to leave the ship there as a hulk and headquarters ship. Shortly however, the decision was made for her to be made seaworthy enough to return to Devonport, for full repairs and a modernisation refit between February 1940 and March 1941.  Upon completion of the repair and refit, Exeter was the most modern heavy cruiser in the Royal Navy, and kept that title for a short one month period until HMS London emerged from her extensive rebuild and modernisation.

On returning to the fleet in 1941 she was engaged on escort duty for Atlantic convoys, including the escort of convoy WS-8B to the Middle East during the Bismarck episode. After this, she went on to the Far East.

On 27 February 1942, Exeter was damaged in the Battle of the Java Sea when she received an 8-inch shell hit to a boiler room and was subsequently ordered to Surabaya for repairs. The destroyer HMS Electra was sunk covering her withdrawal. Two days later, when she attempted to reach the Sunda Strait, she was intercepted by four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers. The second Battle of the Java Sea ensued, and Exeter was soon badly damaged by gunfire, one hit causing the loss of all power to the ship. Scuttling charges were set and she soon began sinking, initially listing to port only to be hit to starboard by two torpedoes from a Japanese destroyer which finally sank her. About 800 Allied seamen, including Exeter's commanding officer, were picked up by the Japanese and became prisoners of war, with 153 of Exeter's crew dying while in captivity with three more dying after being liberated at war's end due to their treatment by the Japanese.

The wreck was located and positively identified in February 2007. Exeter lies in Indonesian waters, at a depth of about 200 ft, 90 miles northwest of Bawean Island - some 60 miles from the sinking position given by her captain.