Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:25:06-1:26:29

HMS Glorious and the cost of flying no reconnaissance patrol

Airborne reconnaissance might have warned Glorious of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, enabling evasion, a strike, or a call for help.

Command And ControlGneisenauHMS GloriousNaval AviationNorwegian CampaignScharnhorst
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Question

What should HMS Glorious have done differently before encountering Scharnhorst and Gneisenau?

Short answer

She should have maintained airborne reconnaissance, which might have provided warning, enabled a strike or withdrawal, and allowed time to summon nearby support.

Notes

Glorious's captain can receive an overly simple share of blame, but the absence of airborne reconnaissance remains a serious criticism. A patrol might have sighted Scharnhorst and Gneisenau early enough for the carrier to turn away, launch a strike, and call nearby heavy forces. The cruiser carrying the Norwegian king and queen could not abandon its evacuation mission to help. The episode combines command failure with the operational limits imposed on other ships in the area.