Could Hood have fired a torpedo at Denmark Strait?

How credible are reports that Hood fired a torpedo at Denmark Strait, and would the launch have been ordered?

It is possible, and an order to fire when bearing permitted is more likely than an independent crew action.

The reported launch is plausible, although the evidence does not establish it with certainty. A standing or direct order could have called for torpedoes to be fired when the ship's bearing made a shot possible. The crew would then execute the launch if the tactical geometry allowed it. This short exchange separates the probability of the event from the question of command authority.