The interwar Royal Navy was led largely by officers with extensive cruiser experience rather than a purely battleship-centered elite. During the Second World War, destroyer officers became especially visible among those promoted rapidly. A destroyer-flotilla captain had already coordinated several ships, captains, and crews from a relatively junior rank. That experience made flotilla command a practical apprenticeship for the multi-ship judgment expected of a commodore or rear admiral.
Notable Point · 3:32:29-3:34:26
Destroyer command trained wartime admirals
The backgrounds of Royal Navy leaders shifted from cruiser-heavy interwar experience toward destroyer officers already practiced in coordinating several ships.