shortly afterwards, "active" was assigned as the leader of the 4th df, based at immingham in the humber. on the evening of 18 august, the grand fleet put to sea in response to a message deciphered by room 40 that indicated that the high seas fleet would be leaving harbour that night. the german objective was to bombard sunderland the following day, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by zeppelins and submarines. "active" and eight of her destroyers were summoned to rendezvous with the main body of the grand fleet and met up with them the following afternoon, but they did not encounter the high seas fleet. the cruiser did not remain there long and was assigned to the 6th destroyer flotilla of the dover patrol by january 1917. "active" was present, but was not engaged, when german destroyers attacked the dover patrol on the nights of 25/25 february and 20/21 april.