Hunt-class escorts and Flower-class corvettes were already ordered when Churchill returned to the Admiralty in September 1939. Within days, he paused construction of carriers, cruisers and capital ships to shift labour towards smaller vessels. Moving workers between yards initially caused disruption, even though the additional workforce could subsequently accelerate escort production. The criticism focuses on making the pause apply across the larger programmes. Britain still needed modern ships for the possibility of war with Italy and Japan as well as Germany. The proposed selective alternative would continue the Illustrious-class carriers and the first three King George V-class battleships. It would allow a pause on Anson, Howe and the Implacables while protecting ships needed sooner.
Chapter · 53:01-55:48
The 1939 shipbuilding pause and its competing priorities
Moving workers to escort construction disrupted existing programmes and delayed larger ships needed for a wider war.