Meanwhile, Force 2, comprising "Duke of York", the light cruiser , and four destroyers (the S-class , , and , and the Norwegian destroyer ), was closing, and it was estimated that a night action with "Scharnhorst" would commence around 1715. But "Scharnhorst" altered course, and "Belfast" regained radar contact, passing it to Force 2. "Duke of York" made her initial radar contact at 1617, at a distance of , and Force 2 began to manoeuvre for broadside fire and torpedo runs by the destroyers. "Belfast" fired star shells at 1648 to illuminate "Scharnhorst", followed by another star shell from one of "Duke of York"s guns, taking "Scharnhorst" by surprise with her main battery trained fore and aft. By 1650, "Duke of York" had closed to less than and opened fire with a full 10-gun broadside, scoring one hit. Although under heavy fire, "Scharnhorst"s return fire straddled "Duke of York" a number of times and hit her twice. A shell passed through the mainmast and its port leg without detonating, but fragments from the hit destroyed the cable for the main search radar. A shell also pierced the port strut of the foremast without exploding. At 1655, a shell from "Duke of York" silenced "Scharnhorst"s forward main battery turrets Anton and Bruno, but she maintained speed so that by 1824 the range had opened to , when "Duke of York" ceased fire after expending 52 broadsides. However, one shell from the final salvoes pierced "Scharnhorst"s armour belt and destroyed her No. 1 boiler room, slowing the ship and allowing the pursuing British destroyers to overtake her.