On the morning of 28 August, the British Harwich Force, supported by the battlecruisers of Vice Admiral David Beatty's 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, broke into the Heligoland Bight and attacked the II Scouting Group patrols. In the confused action, "Mainz" and "Cöln" were sunk, by light cruisers and battlecruisers, respectively. The majority of crewmen from "Mainz" were picked up by the British ships, but "Cöln" was lost with only one survivor. "Kolberg" was stationed in port during the attack, and steamed out to support the beleaguered German forces, but the British had departed by the time she reached the scene.