▁by ▁V ize ad mir al ▁( V ice ▁Admir al ) ▁Rein hard ▁Sche er ▁in ▁January . ▁Sche er ▁proposed ▁a ▁more ▁ag gress ive ▁policy ▁designed ▁to ▁force ▁a ▁confront ation ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Grand ▁Fle et ; ▁he ▁received ▁appro val ▁from ▁the ▁Kaiser ▁in ▁February . ▁Sche er ' s ▁first ▁operation ▁was ▁a ▁swe ep ▁into ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁on ▁ 5 – 7 ▁March , ▁followed ▁by ▁two ▁more ▁on ▁ 2 1 – 2 2 ▁March ▁and ▁ 2 5 – 2 6 ▁March . ▁During ▁Sche er ' s ▁next ▁operation , ▁Ost f ries land ▁supported ▁a ▁ra id ▁on ▁the ▁English ▁coast ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁battle c ru iser ▁force . ▁The ▁battle c ru is ers ▁left ▁the ▁J ade ▁Est u ary ▁at ▁ 1 0 : 5 5 ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et ▁followed ▁at ▁ 1 3 : 4 0 . ▁The ▁battle c ru iser ▁Se yd l itz ▁struck ▁a ▁mine ▁while ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁target , ▁and ▁had ▁to ▁withdraw . ▁The ▁other ▁battle c ru is ers ▁bomb arded ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Low esto ft ▁uno pp osed ▁but , ▁during ▁the ▁approach ▁to ▁Y arm outh , ▁encountered ▁the ▁British ▁cru is ers ▁of ▁the ▁Har wich ▁Force . ▁A ▁short ▁gun ▁du el ▁en su ed ▁before ▁the ▁Har wich ▁Force ▁with d rew .