1 ▁June , ▁S 5 0 ▁was ▁sail ing ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁ 1 2 th ▁Dest roy er ▁Fl ot illa ▁launched ▁a ▁tor ped o ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁batt les hips . ▁The ▁German ▁batt les hips ▁respond ed ▁with ▁heavy ▁fire , ▁and ▁when ▁S 5 0 ▁turned ▁towards ▁the ▁British ▁ships , ▁she ▁was ▁fired ▁on ▁by ▁her ▁own ▁side , ▁and ▁a ▁German ▁shell ▁hit ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁vent il ators . ▁The ▁pre - d read n ought ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁was ▁s unk ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁all ▁hands ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁tor ped o ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁destroy er ▁ ▁in ▁this ▁attack . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Fl ot illa ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Fland ers ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁German ▁tor ped o ▁boat ▁forces ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁ports . ▁The ▁Fl ot illa ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁Hel g ol and ▁for ▁Fland ers ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January , ▁but ▁dec oding ▁of ▁German ▁radio ▁signals ▁by ▁Room ▁ 4 0 ▁war ned ▁the ▁British ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁intent ions , ▁and ▁the ▁Har wich ▁Force ▁of ▁cru is ers ▁and ▁destroy ers ▁sent ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁German ▁tor ped o ▁boats . ▁The ▁British ▁set ▁six ▁light ▁cru is ers , ▁two ▁fl ot illa ▁leaders ▁and ▁six teen ▁destroy ers ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁eleven ▁German ▁ships , ▁deploy