Courageous was conducting an anti-submarine sweep on 17 September 1939 with four destroyers when two detached to help a merchant ship under attack. That reduced the screen below the minimum of four destroyers and a light cruiser given here for carrier escort doctrine. U-29 had followed the carrier for more than two hours and attacked when she turned into the wind to launch aircraft. Two torpedoes hit the port side, knocked out electrical power, and left her to capsize within about twenty minutes, killing 519 people. Whether the crew began counter-flooding remains uncertain in this account, and the speed of the loss limits what can be concluded about their actions. The criticism centres on sending a carrier on a mission without the protective force that existing doctrine required.
Notable Point · 12:53-18:58
Courageous and damage prevention through escort doctrine
The loss of HMS Courageous shows why carrier survivability begins with suitable missions, adequate escorts, and a fleet able to supply both high-end warships and numerous protective vessels.