Reginald Henderson combined political skill and organization with a strong grasp of strategy and technology. His six years as Third Sea Lord started major rearmament projects before his early death prevented him from seeing them through. The programme included Tribal-class destroyers, the aircraft maintenance carrier HMS Unicorn and armoured-deck fleet carriers. An Institution of Naval Architects assessment published in 1939 described him as willing to abandon routine and convention when he saw an advantage to the service.
Chapter · 16:21-17:52
Reginald Henderson and the fleet built for the Second World War
As Third Sea Lord, Henderson combined political skill, organization, strategy and technology to start the Royal Navy's interwar rearmament.