Logistics had been a British concern long before the interwar years. Coaling ships at sea was laborious and hazardous, so a global system of bases was a practical response. The Royal Navy was still transitioning away from coal-fired vessels well into the interwar era. The round-the-world cruise by HMS Hood, HMS Repulse, and D-class cruisers nevertheless included replenishment-at-sea exercises for the oil-fired ships. That example shows the fleet testing newer methods while it still depended on coal infrastructure for older vessels. Its oil-fuel and replenishment plans therefore developed alongside an inherited network built for coal rather than replacing a complete absence of logistical thought.
Notable Point · 12:31-16:28
Why coal made overseas logistics essential
Coal stations were not evidence that Britain had neglected logistics; they solved the impracticality of coaling a fleet at sea.