led by commander ("fregattenkapitän") erich bey in his flagship "hans lody", "erich giese" and "bernd von arnim" left port on the morning of 6 december to lay a minefield off cromer. the latter ship had severe boiler problems and was ordered to return to port in the late afternoon while the other two continued their mission. they spotted several darkened ships as they approached their destination, including the destroyers and , but were not spotted in return. as the two german destroyers withdrew after having laid their mines, they spotted the two british destroyers again at a range of and closed to attack. when the range dropped to , "lody" fired three torpedoes at "juno", the leading british ship, while "giese" fired four at "jersey". none of "lody"s torpedoes struck their target, but one of "giese"s hit "jersey" abreast her aft torpedo mount. the torpedo detonated in an oil fuel tank and started a major fire. neither british ship spotted the german destroyers and they continued on while "juno" turned about to help her sister. two british ships totalling 5,286 gross register tons were sunk by this minefield. "giese" was refitted at the germaniawerft shipyard after her return on 8 december.