How Beatty might have acted at the Dardanelles

If Beatty commanded the Second Battlecruiser Squadron, would he have opened fire on Goeben early and later commanded at the Dardanelles?

Possibly; his appetite for glory could prompt early action, and success against Goeben would make later command at the Dardanelles more likely.

The scenario moves Beatty from the First to the Second Battlecruiser Squadron and asks whether he would fire before the British ultimatum expired. Premature action is plausible because Beatty pursued glory, though an altered ultimatum is another possibility. Whether he later commands at the Dardanelles depends on his earlier performance: success against Goeben could bring promotion, while failure to catch her might leave him with the force sent to the straits. A later question adds that seniority and Beatty's skill at promoting himself through the press and public helped him secure important commands. Appointments in this counterfactual depend on the reputation built in earlier operations. It also shows the danger of combining personal ambition with wide discretion at the point of contact.