 Again , interception and decryption of German wireless signals played an important role . Although they were unaware of the exact plans , the cryptographers of Room 40 were able to deduce that Hipper would be conducting an operation in the Dogger Bank area . To counter it , Beatty 's 1st Battlecruiser Squadron , Rear Admiral Gordon Moore 's 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron and Commodore William Goodenough 's 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron were to rendezvous with Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt 's Harwich Force at 08 : 00 on 24 January , approximately 30 nmi ( 56 km ; 35 mi ) north of the Dogger Bank . 
