Hipper turned south to flee, but was limited to 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph), which was Blücher's maximum speed at the time.[Note 2] The pursuing British battlecruisers were steaming at 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph), and quickly caught up to the German ships.[1] As the rearmost ship in the German line, Blücher suffered the majority of the British gunfire for the early portion of the battle.[29]