 On the outbreak of the First World War this Flotilla became part of the Harwich Force, under the overall command of Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt.On 28 August 1914, Tyrwhitt led the Harwich Force, including the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and "Laforey", on a sortie into the southeastern part of the North Sea near the German Coast, known as the Heligoland Bight in an attempt to ambush German cruisers and destroyers.This developed into the Battle of Heligoland Bight where three German cruisers (, and ) and one destroyer ("V187") was sunk at the cost of damage to the British cruiser and three destroyers (, and ).