How carrier losses consumed irreplaceable expertise

The losses of three carriers removed more than hulls from the fleet. Ark Royal's loss leads into the importance of counter-flooding and the consequences of leaving that decision to engineers reluctant to put more water into their own ship. Courageous had been used on an anti-submarine sweep, an unsuitable role for a full fleet carrier once purpose-built escort carriers offered a better solution. Glorious sailed without the cruiser or battleship support that later wartime practice would have supplied. Each sinking also removed experienced aircrew and maintainers whose skills could not be regenerated as quickly as a replacement hull. Retaining even one or two of those carriers might have enlarged the Taranto strike, increased available fighters, and improved fleet air defence in later operations.