Byng sent senior captains to lead detached units without formally calling them commodores. He appears to have kept Rear Admiral George Delaval close rather than giving him an independent mission. That may indicate limited confidence in Delaval, or Byng may have wanted to preserve the flag command chain in case he was incapacitated. The arrangement allowed operational responsibility to depart from formal titles while keeping senior command concentrated around the admiral.
Notable Point · 26:55-27:36
How Byng distributed detached commands
Byng used senior captains as de facto commodores for detached groups while keeping Rear Admiral George Delaval close, a selective approach to delegation and command continuity.