▁fle w ▁the ▁flag ▁of ▁V ize ad mir al ▁( V ice ▁Admir al ) ▁Er hardt ▁Schmidt , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁commander ▁during ▁the ▁battle ▁and ▁Sche er ' s ▁deput y ▁commander . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁before ▁ 1 6 : 0 0 , ▁the ▁battle c ru is ers ▁of ▁I   Sc out ing ▁Group ▁encountered ▁the ▁British ▁ 1 st ▁Battle c ru iser ▁Squadron ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁David ▁Beat ty . ▁The ▁oppos ing ▁ships ▁began ▁an ▁art illery ▁du el ▁that ▁saw ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁, ▁shortly ▁after ▁ 1 7 : 0 0 , ▁and ▁, ▁less ▁than ▁half ▁an ▁hour ▁later . ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁German ▁battle c ru is ers ▁were ▁ste aming ▁south ▁to ▁draw ▁the ▁British ▁ships ▁toward ▁the ▁main ▁body ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et . ▁At ▁ 1 7 : 3 0 , ▁the ▁crew ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁German ▁batt les hip , ▁König , ▁sp otted ▁both ▁I   Sc out ing ▁Group ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battle c ru iser ▁Squadron ▁approaching . ▁The ▁German ▁battle c ru is ers ▁were ▁ste aming ▁to ▁star board , ▁while ▁the ▁British ▁ships ▁ste amed ▁to ▁port . ▁At ▁ 1 7 : 4 5 , ▁Sche er ▁ordered ▁a ▁two - point ▁turn ▁to ▁port ▁to ▁bring ▁his ▁ships ▁closer ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁battle c ru is ers ▁and , ▁a ▁minute ▁later , ▁the ▁order ▁to ▁open ▁fire ▁was ▁given