If Beatty commands in the Mediterranean, who commands the Grand Fleet battlecruisers?
Short answerThe existing squadrons could remain inside the Grand Fleet under their own senior officers; a distinct battlecruiser force is less automatic without Beatty.
NotesSeveral commanders are possible, but a separate battlecruiser force need not appear immediately without Beatty. The existing squadrons and their senior officers can remain within the Grand Fleet structure, while Hood is still moving towards other responsibilities. Beatty's presence was part of what turned the battlecruisers into a more visibly separate formation.