HMS Glorious, escort, and air cover

Where was HMS Glorious's escort, and who sent her out with so little protection?

Glorious had two destroyers but should not have been detached without heavier cover. Her captain's air-warfare decisions made the danger worse.

Glorious was not completely alone because two destroyers died defending her. She still should not have been sent without stronger cover. Higher command bears some responsibility for allowing her detachment, while her captain worsened the danger by failing to fly a combat air patrol. The loss exposes problems in carrier command, the handling of air-group advice, and the treatment of a carrier as an ordinary independent ship.