 In the chaos of the night engagement , Rostock 's search lights illuminated the destroyer Broke . Gunfire from Rostock and the battleships Westfalen and Rheinland smothered the British destroyer ; although heavily damaged , she managed to limp back to port . The ship was attacked by the destroyers Ambuscade and Contest ; the two ships each fired a single torpedo at high @-@ speed settings at a range of about 1 @,@ 000 yd ( 910 m ) . One torpedo struck Rostock at 1 : 30 , though it is unknown which destroyer launched it . Rostock was also hit by three 4 in ( 100 mm ) shells , probably from the destroyer Broke . The disabled Rostock called the destroyer S54 to join her ; S54 took Rostock in tow , at times making up to 10 kn ( 19 km / h ; 12 mph ) . The pair was subsequently joined by the destroyers V71 and V73 , which had been detached from the flotilla to escort Rostock back to port . 
