 He transferred his flag to the destroyer Attack at 11 : 50 and set off in pursuit of his battlecruisers . He caught up to them shortly before Blücher sank and boarded Princess Royal at 12 : 20 . He ordered the pursuit resumed of the German battlecruisers , but rescinded the order when it became clear that too much time had been wasted sinking Blücher and Hipper 's ships would be able to reach German waters before the British could catch them . Lion was headed home at 10 knots ( 19 km / h ; 12 mph ) when the rest of the battlecruisers caught up with her around 12 : 45 . 
