Clarke judges that Ark Royal probably would have survived if her crew had followed the damage-control manual promptly. He accepts wartime hull strain as part of the explanation for her vulnerability. His criticism concerns the failure to take the prescribed measures in time. Survival remains a probability in this hindsight judgment.
Notable Point · 48:57-49:46
Could better damage control have saved Ark Royal?
Ark Royal's loss prompts a qualified judgment that timely use of her damage-control procedures could have saved her.