The harsh assessment of Somerville in the Indian Ocean rests on his earlier record: excellent timing, aggression, and complete confidence from his sailors. Peacetime naval bureaucracy did not suit him, but wartime leaders recalled him from retirement because they valued those operational qualities. His sailors' belief in him helps explain the high standard used to judge his 1942 performance. The Indian Ocean choice is described as a "wrong right decision": the basic caution was defensible, but the chosen course fell short of what his own abilities suggested.
Chapter · 9:34-11:13
James Somerville's aggression and Indian Ocean judgment
Somerville's timing, aggression, and ability to inspire sailors are set against his cautious 1942 Indian Ocean decision.