The response combined Hermes with Glasgow, Cape Town, Emerald, Hawkins, Shropshire, Canberra, and other available ships. Admiral Scheer faced a concentration much stronger than the isolated trade targets a commerce raider wanted. The force did not need to catch and sink the German ship to achieve an operational effect. By making the Indian Ocean too dangerous to remain in, dispersed British assets denied the raider freedom of action and protected shipping through deterrent concentration.
Chapter · 1:47:45-1:48:20
The 1941 response to Admiral Scheer
A large British concentration made the Indian Ocean an unattractive place for Admiral Scheer to remain.