ing ▁them ▁in ▁several ▁groups ▁to ▁make ▁sure ▁that ▁all ▁possible ▁routes ▁were ▁covered . ▁At ▁about ▁ 0 3 : 4 5 ▁hr ▁C ET ▁( 0 2 : 4 5 ▁hr ▁G MT ) ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 2 / 2 3 ▁January , ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Fl ot illa ▁encountered ▁three ▁British ▁light ▁cru is ers ▁( , ▁ ▁and ▁) ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁H inder ▁light ▁ship . ▁V 6 9 , ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁fl ot illa , ▁attempted ▁a ▁tor ped o ▁attack ▁against ▁the ▁British ▁cru is ers , ▁but ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁British ▁shell s , ▁jam ming ▁her ▁rud der , ▁which ▁caused ▁V 6 9 ▁to ▁col lide ▁with ▁, ▁badly ▁dam aging ▁both ▁ships , ▁although ▁both ▁surv ived . ▁The ▁fl ot illa ▁managed ▁to ▁break ▁contact ▁under ▁the ▁cover ▁of ▁smoke ▁screens , ▁but ▁S 5 0 ▁lost ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Fl ot illa . ▁Her ▁captain ▁decided ▁to ▁proceed ▁independently ▁to ▁Ze ebru g ge , ▁but ▁ran ▁into ▁four ▁British ▁destroy ers ▁( , ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁) ▁off ▁the ▁Sch ouwen ▁Bank ▁shortly ▁after ▁ 0 5 : 0 0 ▁C ET . ▁In ▁an ▁exchange ▁of ▁gun fire , ▁S 5 0 ▁hit ▁Sim oom ▁several ▁times ▁and ▁was ▁herself ▁hit ▁by ▁British ▁shell s ▁before ▁tor ped o ing ▁and ▁badly ▁dam aging ▁Sim oom . ▁The ▁remaining ▁British ▁ships ▁still ▁blocked ▁S 5 0 s ▁course