 A shell from one of the British cruisers hit Mainz at around 13 : 00 , which jammed her rudder at ten degrees to starboard . Her crew shut off the port engine in an attempt to correct the ship 's course , but she continued to turn to starboard . By 13 : 20 , the majority of the ship 's guns had been disabled and the ship 's superstructure had been shot to pieces . Her center and aft funnel collapsed after suffering several hits . A torpedo from the destroyer Lydiard then hit the ship on her port side , amidships ; this prompted the ship 's commander to order the crew to abandon the stricken cruiser . He then left the conning tower with the navigation officer , both of whom were immediately killed by a shell hit . The ship 's communication system was out of service , and so the order to abandon ship did not reach the entire crew . The ship 's executive officer then reached the bridge , and reiterated the order to abandon the crippled ship at 13 : 35 . 
