Immediately before the outbreak of the Second World War, the designation of Commander-in-Chief, Africa was changed to Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic, '..and the Admiral transferred his flag from Simonstown to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and assumed general naval control over British movements in the whole of the South Atlantic Ocean.

"[6] Thus Achilles arrived in the South Atlantic and joined Commodore Harwood's force, later to take part in the Battle of the River Plate against the Graf Spee.

She then called at Libreville in French Equatorial Africa, São Tomé Island in the Gulf of Guinea, Lagos, Nigeria, Monrovia, Liberia, and Freetown, Sierra Leone.

At Freetown she wore the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic, Vice Admiral Sir Geoffrey Robson.

[10] On 24 May 1957, HMS Burghead Bay was recommissioned for service in the 7th Frigate Squadron in the South Atlantic, sailing for Simon's Town in August.

In May she sailed for the Falklands for her third and final tour of duty as guard ship, departing in June and sailing to the UK via ports on west coast of South America, making calls in Chile and Peru before transiting the Panama Canal, and finally arriving at Devonport in August where she was decommissioned, put into Reserve, and on the Disposal List.

[11] In 1960, the post of Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies, was abolished, with the incumbent, Vice-Admiral Sir John Eaton, becoming the NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT).