The German torpedo boats' numerical designations prompt a discussion of morale and unit identity. A named ship gives its crew a story and a collective identity that a number alone rarely provides. This matters especially when destroyers or other small combatants are expected to press dangerous torpedo attacks against larger ships. The Royal Navy initially numbered submarines because they were classed as boats, but increasingly gave them names drawn from destroyer and frigate traditions. The watch point treats naming as a personnel and combat-effectiveness issue rather than a cosmetic custom.
Notable Point · 2:29:29-2:32:24
Ship names build identity and fighting spirit
Names give small-warship crews a stronger shared identity than hull numbers and connect new ships with inherited service traditions.