▁The ▁remainder ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁through ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁was ▁largely ▁une vent ful ▁for ▁Hi pper . ▁He ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁det achment ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et , ▁composed ▁of ▁two ▁battle c ru is ers , ▁eleven ▁batt les hips , ▁four ▁light ▁cru is ers , ▁and ▁twelve ▁tor ped o ▁boats , ▁sent ▁to ▁Den mark ▁to ▁retrieve ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁str and ed ▁U - bo ats ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁One ▁was ▁successfully ▁returned ▁to ▁Germany , ▁but ▁the ▁other ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁destroyed ▁to ▁prevent ▁its ▁capture . ▁On ▁the ▁return ▁to ▁Germany , ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁were ▁tor ped o ed ▁by ▁a ▁British ▁sub marine . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁a ▁brief ▁sk irm ish ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Hel g ol and ▁B ight ▁between ▁British ▁and ▁German ▁capital ▁ships . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Hi pper ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et , ▁after ▁Sche er ▁had ▁been ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Naval ▁Staff . ▁He ▁was ▁concurrent ly ▁promoted ▁to ▁Admir al ; ▁Hi pper ▁took ▁prov is ional ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁in ▁a ▁ceremony ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁old ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁the ▁day ▁before . ▁However , ▁the ▁war ▁was ▁all ▁but ▁lost ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁Hi pper ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁fleet . ▁ ▁In ▁October ,