British battlecruiser squadron, which had started out from further south. The two battlecruiser squadrons came within of each other but did not meet. Aftermath Analysis As the German ships headed for home, they avoided submarine attacks, encountering only two neutral steamers and some fishing vessels. The operation had been almost a complete failure, sinking two patrol craft and damaging one cruiser and one destroyer, in exchange for serious damage to a battlecruiser, while the damage done to the naval establishments at Yarmouth and Lowestoft was light. The German battlecruiser squadron had failed to take advantage of its superior numbers to engage the British light cruisers and destroyers present at Lowestoft. The German U-boats sent out to intercept British ships leaving harbour had not found any targets. Nor had six British submarines stationed off Yarmouth and six more off Harwich. One German submarine was destroyed and another captured when it became beached at Harwich. The British submarine was sunk, torpedoed by the German submarine . The British felt obliged to take steps to react more quickly to future raids. The 3rd Battle Squadron, consisting of seven s, was moved from Rosyth to the Thames, together with . The presence of these ships on the Thames was given later as one reason the Harwich destroyers were not permitted to join the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland: they were held back to escort the battleships should they be called upon to take part. Casualties The raid infuriated the British and it damaged German prestige in world public opinion, as the operation brought back memories of the "baby killer" raids earlier in the war. British casualties were 21 British servicemen, who were killed at sea. A serviceman and three civilians were killed and 19 were wounded at Lowestoft. See also Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby (1914) Raid on Yarmouth (1914) References Bibliography External links Richthofen.com Germany's High Sea fleet in the War Bob Henneman website, description of the raid North Sea operations of World War I Naval battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom Naval battles of World War I involving Germany 1916 in England Conflicts in 1916 Great Yarmouth Lowestoft Yarmouth Military history of Suffolk 20th century in Norfolk 20th century in Suffolk Maritime incidents in England April 1916 events Germany–United Kingdom military relations