The historical method used here reads actors forward from what they knew instead of judging them automatically by hindsight or modern expectations. Contemporary vocabulary can help reconstruct that mental world, including the Royal Navy's use of recognizance rather than the modern reconnaissance. That restraint does not excuse Bayly, because the loss of three cruisers in September, current submarine reports, nearby ports, and alternative formations were all available to him before Formidable sailed. A 1914 commander could not possess later anti-submarine doctrine, but he could act on evidence already visible in his own war. Contextual history can still reach a firm critical conclusion about his responsibility.
Notable Point · 1:01:46-1:04:05
Judging naval decisions without hindsight
The criticism of Bayly is framed through a historical method that uses knowledge and vocabulary available in 1914 rather than assuming later anti-submarine doctrine.