Coastal defense duty continued into early 1916. "Deutschland" was transferred to the AG Vulcan dry-dock in Hamburg for further maintenance that took place from 27 February to 1 April 1916. On 24–25 April 1916, "Deutschland" and her four sisters joined the dreadnoughts of the High Seas Fleet—which was now commanded by "VAdm" Reinhard Scheer—to support the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group on a raid of the English coast. En route to the target, the battlecruiser was damaged by a mine; she was detached to return home while the operation proceeded. The battlecruisers conducted a short bombardment of the ports of Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Visibility was poor, and the operation was called off before the British fleet could intervene. On 4 May, "Deutschland" took part in a sortie against British ships off Horns Reef, without result. Squadron exercises in the Baltic followed from 11 to 22 May.