Sherbrooke did send a contact report, but it was not received and he avoided a continuing exchange. Frequent radio traffic could disclose the supporting force and ruin the convoy system's concealment. A well-run convoy could function as both a defensive formation and an offensive trap: the close escort protected the merchants while hunter-killer and distant-cover forces attacked threats. Burnett's cruisers moved toward the gunfire anyway, showing how common mission intent and independent initiative compensated when the signalling chain failed.
Notable Point · 17:24-18:46
Why Sherbrooke kept radio traffic limited
Limited signalling protected the covering force's concealment, while shared intent let Burnett move toward the battle after Sherbrooke's contact report went unheard.