Q&A · 1:40:22-1:41:39

What British force could spring a convoy ambush?

Fast capital ships would hold the German pair while carrier aircraft slowed them for Nelson and Rodney to deliver the decisive attack.

Question

If Britain used a decoy convoy, what force would it send against both German battleships?

Short answer

Combine fast capital ships and carrier aircraft to stop the raiders escaping, then bring Nelson and Rodney into the fight.

Notes

An effective ambush needed ships fast enough to prevent Scharnhorst and Gneisenau escaping. King George V, Prince of Wales, Hood, Renown, and Repulse could form the pursuit element, with Nelson and Rodney adding decisive gun power. A carrier force beyond the horizon could strike first and reduce the Germans' speed before the surface forces appeared. The proposed sequence separates the tasks of finding, slowing, holding, and finally destroying the raiders.