Lord Cork as a failed wartime naval leader

Who was the worst Royal Navy leader of the Second World War?

Lord Cork is the immediate choice, especially in light of his conduct during the Norway campaign.

Lord Cork is the immediate choice, though other candidates are acknowledged. The judgment centres on his performance during the Norwegian campaign. Recent work on that campaign makes the example especially salient, and the selection is not offered as a definitive ranking of every wartime commander. It is a concise pointer to the leadership failures behind a difficult combined operation.