At dawn on the 28th, Admiral Tyrwhitt’s flotillas, led by the _Arethusa_ and _Fearless_, reached their point of attack and, in the words of Admiral Scheer, ‘broke into the Heligoland Bight.’ The enemy was taken by surprise. The weather near the land was increasingly misty. The Heligoland batteries came into action, but without effect. The German battleships and battle-cruisers could not cross the bar of the outer Jade owing to the tide till 1 p.m. Only the German light cruisers on patrol or close at hand in the Elbe or the Ems could come to the aid of their flotillas. A confused, dispersed and prolonged series of combats ensued between the flotillas and light cruisers and continued until after four o’clock in the afternoon. During all this time the British light forces were rampaging about the enemy’s most intimate and jealously guarded waters. Very little, however, turned out as had been planned. Owing to a mischance, arising primarily from a fault in Admiralty staff work, the message apprising Commodores Keyes and Tyrwhitt of the presence of Admiral Beatty with his additional battle cruisers and light cruisers, did not reach them in time; nor was Admiral Beatty aware of the areas in which the British submarines were working. Several awkward embarrassments followed from this and might easily have led to disastrous mistakes. However, fortune was steady, and the initial surprise together with the resolute offensive carried us safely through. The German light cruisers precipitately proceeding to the assistance of their flotillas and animated by the hopes of cutting off our own, ran into the British battle-cruisers. Admiral Beatty, in spite not only of the risk of mines and submarines, but also—for all he could know—of meeting superior forces, had with extraordinary audacity led his squadron far into the Bight. Two enemy cruisers (the _Ariadne_ and the _Köln_) were smashed to pieces by the enormous shells of the Lion and the _Princess Royal_: a third (the _Mainz_) was sunk by the light cruisers and destroyers. Three others (the _Frauenlob_, _Strassburg_ and the _Stettin_) limped home with many casualties. One German destroyer was sunk. The rest in the confusion and light mist escaped, though several were injured. The good news trickled into the Admiralty during the day, but for some time we were very anxious about the _Arethusa_. A feed-pipe had been smashed by a shell and her steaming power was reduced to seven or eight knots. However, she returned unmolested to the Thames.