On 24 April 1916, a force of German battlecruisers and cruiser set out from Kiel to bombard the coastal towns of Lowestoft and Yarmouth. Later that day, the German battlecruiser struck a mine, and the resultant radio traffic warned the British of the German operation. The Harwich Force, including "Lysander" left port at midnight on the night of 24/25 April. The German battlecruisers aborted their bombardment of Yarmouth to engage the Harwich force, hitting the cruiser and the destroyer but retired to the East rather than attempt to destroy the smaller British force. "Lysander" was undamaged.