 Shortly before 16 : 00 the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group encountered the British 1st Battlecruiser Squadron under the command of Vice Admiral David Beatty . The opposing ships began an artillery duel that saw the destruction of Indefatigable , shortly after 17 : 00 , and Queen Mary , less than half an hour later . By this time , the German battlecruisers were steaming south to draw the British ships toward the main body of the High Seas Fleet . At 17 : 30 , König 's crew spotted both the I Scouting Group and the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron approaching . The German battlecruisers were steaming to starboard , while the British ships steamed to port . At 17 : 45 , Scheer ordered a two @-@ point turn to port to bring his ships closer to the British battlecruisers , and a minute later , the order to open fire was given . 
 Shortly before 16 : 00 the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group encountered the British 1st Battlecruiser Squadron under the command of Vice Admiral David Beatty . The opposing ships began an artillery duel <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>saw the destruction of Indefatigable , shortly after 17 : 00 , and Queen Mary , less than half an hour later . By this time , the German battlecruisers <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> steaming south to draw the British ships toward the main body of the High Seas Fleet . At 17 : 30 , König <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>crew spotted both the I Scouting Group and the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron approaching . The German battlecruisers <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> steaming to starboard , while the British ships steamed to port . At 17 : 45 , Scheer ordered a two @-@ point turn to port to bring his ships closer to the British battlecruisers , and a minute later , the order to open fire was given . 
Shortly b4 16 : 00 the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group encountered the British 1st Battlecruiser Squadron under da command of Vice Admiral David Beatty . The opposing ships began an artillery duel saw the destruction of Indefatigable , shortly after 17 : 00 , and Queen Mary , less than half an hour later . By this time , tdaGerman battlecruisers was steaming south to draw the British ships toward thdaain body of thedagh Seas Fleet . At 17 : 30 , König  crew spotted both the I Scouting Group and the da Battlecruiser Squadron approaching . The Gdaan battlecruisers was steaming to starboard , while the Brdash ships steamed to port . At 17 : 45 , Scheer ordered a 2 @-@ point turn to port to bring his ships closer to the Bridah battlecruisers , and a minute later , the order to open fire was given .