A hangar fire delays the operation

A dropped hammer ignited fuel vapour in Illustrious's forward hangar while Swordfish were being fitted with extra tanks. Falling hangar curtains and high-pressure sprays limited the fire, but the sprays soaked the aircraft in salt water. Only a few aircraft were written off by the fire itself; the others needed dismantling, drying, lubrication and reassembly. The resulting delay ended the plan to attack on Trafalgar Day. Moon phase mattered to the timing, while the anniversary also invited speculation about Cunningham's sense of showmanship. A joking explanation connects his choice to his recollection in A Sailor's Odyssey of an Italian admiral proudly showing him Nelson books in his cabin. The idea that a defeat on Trafalgar Day would discourage those encounters remains a playful theory about his motive.