Order of Battle
Action off Cromer
7 December 1939
Contributed by Tony DiGiulian
Originally written 22 December 2008
British Forces

DD Juno
DD Jersey


German Forces

4th Destroyer Flotilla
    Fregattenkapitän Erich Bey

DD Z.10 Hans Lody (F)
DD Z.11 Bernd von Arnim
DD Z.12 Erich Giese

Z.11 and Z.12 were carrying 120 contact and magnetic mines with Z.10 acting as escort.  Bernd von Arnim suffered a blown boiler tube and a generator failure and was sent back to port prior to the start of the action.

Erich Giese dropped her mines three miles off the Hainsborough lightship, suffering two premature detonations which fortunately did not lead to her discovery.  Shortly afterwards, the Germans discovered the British destroyers and launched a torpedo attack, severly damaging Jersey and killing nine men.  Juno managed to tow Jersey to safety.  Jersey was under repair until 23 September 1940.

Sources
"The German Fleet at War:  1939-1945" by Vincent P. O'Hara