 Commander Alfred Godsal led the assault in HMS Brilliant and it was he who stumbled into the most effective German counter @-@ measure first . As Brilliant staggered through the murk , the lookout spotted the buoy ahead and Godsal headed directly for it , coming under even heavier fire as he did so . Passing the navigation marker at speed , the cruiser was suddenly brought to a halt with a juddering lurch , throwing men to the decks and sticking fast in deep mud well outside the harbour mouth . Before warnings could be relayed to the Sirius following up close behind , she too passed the buoy and her captain Lieutenant @-@ Commander Henry Hardy was shocked to see Brilliant dead ahead . With no time to maneuvere , Sirius ploughed into the port quarter of Brilliant , the blockships settling into the mud in a tangle of wreckage . 
 Commander Alfred Godsal led the assault in HMS Brilliant and it was he who stumbled into the most effective German counter @-@ measure first . As Brilliant staggered through the murk , the lookout spotted the buoy ahead and Godsal headed directly for it , coming under even heavier fire as he did so . Passing the navigation marker at speed , the cruiser was suddenly brought to a halt with a juddering lurch , throwing men to the decks and sticking fast in deep mud well outside the harbour mouth . Before warnings could be relayed to the Sirius following up close behind , she too passed the buoy and her captain Lieutenant @-@ Commander Henry Hardy was shocked to see Brilliant dead ahead . With no time to maneuvere , Sirius<a href='been_done' title='1'><mark></mark></a> ploughed into the port quarter of Brilliant , the blockships settling into the mud in a tangle of wreckage . 
Commander Alfred Godsal led the assault in HMS Brilliant and it was he who stumbled into the most effective German counter @-@ measure first . As Brilliant staggered through da murk , tdalookout spotted thdauoy ahead and Godsal headed directly fir it , comin under even heavier fire as he did so . Passing the navigation marker at speed , thedauiser was suddenly brought to a halt with a juddering lurch , throwin men to the decks and sticking fast in deep mud well outside the harbour mouth . Before warnings could b relayed to the daius following up close behind , she too passed the bda and her captain Lieutenant @-@ Commander Henry Hardy was shocked to see Brilliant dead ahead . With no time to maneuvere , Sirius done ploughed into the podaquarter of Brilliant , the blodahips settling into the mud in a tangle of wreckage .