On the morning of August 28 occurred a lively action in Heligoland Bight, which cost Germany 3 light cruisers and a destroyer, and seemed to promise further aggressive action off the German shores. The British plan called for a destroyer and light cruiser sweep southward to a point about 12 miles west of Heligoland, and thence westward, with submarines disposed off Heligoland as decoys, the object being to cut off German destroyers and patrols. Commodore Tyrwhitt's force which was to execute the raid consisted of the 1st and 3rd flotillas of 16 destroyers each, led by the new light cruiser _Arethusa_, flagship (28.5 knots, two 6", six 4" guns), and the _Fearless_ (25-4 knots, ten 4" guns). These were to be supported about 50 miles to westward by two battle cruisers from the Humber. This supporting force was at the last moment joined by three battle cruisers under Admiral Beatty and 6 cruisers under Commodore Goodenough from the Grand Fleet; but news of the accession never reached Commodore Keyes of the British submarines, who was hence puzzled later by the appearance of Goodenough's cruisers on the scene. [Illustration: HELIGOLAND BIGHT ACTION, AUG. 28, 1914] The Germans, it appears, had got wind of the enemy plan, and arranged a somewhat similar counter-stroke. As Commodore Tyrwhitt's flotillas swept southward, they engaged and chased 10 German destroyers straight down upon Heligoland. Here the _Arethusa_ and the _Fearless_ were sharply engaged with two German light cruisers, the _Stettin_, and the _Frauenlob_ (ten 4.1" guns each), until actually in sight of the island. Both sides suffered, the _Frauenlob_ withdrawing to Wilhelmshaven with 50 casualties, and the _Arethusa_ having her speed cut down and nearly every gun put temporarily out of commission. Whipping around to westward, the flotillas caught the German destroyer _V 187_, which at 9.10, after an obstinate resistance, was reduced to a complete wreck enveloped in smoke and steam. As British destroyers picked up survivors, they were driven off by the _Stettin_; but two boats with British crews and German prisoners were rescued later by the British submarine _E 4_, which had been lurking nearby. Extraordinary confusion now developed from the fact that Commodore Keyes in his submarine flotilla leader _Lurcher_ sighted through the mist two of Goodenough's cruisers (which had chased a destroyer eastward), and reported them as enemies. The call was picked up by Goodenough himself, who brought his remaining four ships to Keyes' assistance; but when these appeared, Keyes thought that he had to deal with four enemies more! Tyrwhitt was also drawn backward by the alarm. Luckily the situation was cleared up without serious consequences.