The British battle-carrier concept placed carriers close enough to support a surface action without treating them as ships of the line. Some aggressive commanders nevertheless had to be restrained from carrying that proximity too far. During Operation Pedestal the carriers ultimately withdrew at the Sicilian Straits, despite the temptation to press onward. Destroyer escorts, 4.5-inch guns, combat air patrols, and air-search radar would all have complicated an Italian torpedo-boat attack. Close support meant accepting danger while avoiding gratuitous surface combat.
Notable Point · 9:12-11:47
Battle-carrier proximity and escort protection
British carriers were intended to work near a fleet action, but escorts, air warning, and command restraint still separated aggression from joining the battle line.