The interceptor force was not a thin destroyer line. Behind the Tribal-class destroyers sat a Dido-class cruiser, a Town-class cruiser farther back, a command frigate, and coastal-force flotillas. The Dido could illuminate both German contacts and the British-laid minefields with starshell, helping the different layers share the same night picture. Torpedo boats and the mine barriers added further obstacles behind the forward destroyer screen. This depth meant that a German ship which evaded the first block still faced successive layers of detection, firepower, and denial.
Notable Point · 12:03-13:10
Depth behind the Tribal destroyer screen
The Tribal-class destroyers were the forward block, backed by cruisers, coordination ships, torpedo-boat forces, and prepared minefields.