 Stuttgart was assigned to the IV Scouting Group during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916 . The IV Scouting Group , under the command of Commodore Ludwig von Reuter , departed Wilhelmshaven at 03 : 30 on 31 May , along with the rest of the fleet . Tasked with screening for the fleet , Stuttgart and the torpedo boat V71 were positioned at the rear of the fleet , astern of the II Battle Squadron . Stuttgart and the IV Scouting Group were not heavily engaged during the early phases of the battle , but around 21 : 30 , they encountered the British 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron ( 3rd LCS ) . Reuter 's ships were leading the High Seas Fleet south , away from the deployed Grand Fleet . Due to the long range and poor visibility , only München and Stettin were able to engage the British cruisers . Stuttgart was the fourth ship in the line , and her gunners could only make out one British ship in the haze . Since that ship was already being engaged by the other German cruisers , Stuttgart held her fire . Reuter turned his ships hard to starboard , in order to draw the British closer to the capital ships of the German fleet , but the 3rd LCS refused to take the bait and disengaged . 
