Command is part of the counterfactual force structure. A major carrier and capital-ship fleet would not be sent under the same assumptions that placed Tom Phillips over the historical Force Z detachment. Andrew Cunningham could take the post after defeating the Italian fleet, but James Somerville is more likely because of his experience with Force H and his later Eastern Fleet appointment. Keeping Cunningham nearer Europe also leaves him positioned for Mediterranean operations and eventual senior Royal Navy leadership.
Notable Point · 2:24:58-2:29:38
Somerville commands a fleet rather than a detachment
A four-carrier Far East deployment requires an experienced fleet commander, making Somerville or Cunningham more plausible than the historical small-force command arrangement.