Q&A ยท 4:43:48-4:44:26

A different commander aboard Courageous or Glorious

The counterfactual distinguishes Courageous's submarine loss from the airborne aircraft and close cruiser support proposed for Glorious.

Question

Would a different senior commander aboard Courageous have prevented her wartime loss?

Short answer

Little change is expected for Courageous; for Glorious, a different commander probably would have kept aircraft airborne and a cruiser close.

Notes

Courageous and Glorious need to be distinguished before considering this counterfactual. Courageous was sunk by a submarine, and changing her senior commander is judged unlikely to alter that outcome. For Glorious, a different commander could have kept aircraft airborne and a cruiser in close attendance. Those are the specific precautions proposed, rather than a guarantee that replacing a commander would save either ship.