Coastal forces did not have to invent an entirely new doctrine from nothing. An older naval historian's explanation is that the Royal Navy adapted its interwar destroyer tactics to smaller boats because the underlying problem was already familiar. Apparently novel practice often builds on trained habits, organizations, and earlier work. The Battle of Cape Bon provides a wartime example of British destroyers exploiting the same close-range night-fighting logic. The Italian light cruisers were caught in circumstances that fit British doctrine and had little opportunity to recover once the attack began.
Notable Point · 1:05:15-1:08:05
From interwar destroyer doctrine to Cape Bon
The coastal attack method is presented as an adaptation of established interwar destroyer doctrine, with Cape Bon illustrating the wartime continuity.