Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:29:44-1:31:18

How Courageous and Glorious could have freed newer carriers

Surviving older carriers could have covered Atlantic duties and released newer ships for the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, and Force C.

Force StructureHMS CourageousHMS GloriousRoyal NavyWorld War II
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

How effective could Courageous and Glorious have been had they survived longer into the Second World War?

Short answer

They could have filled Atlantic carrier roles, freeing newer carriers for harder missions in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.

Notes

The strategic value of an older ship depends on whether it can perform a necessary mission well enough, not whether it is the best ship available. Courageous and Glorious could have handled Atlantic work and released modern carriers for more demanding theaters. That extra hull count might have strengthened Somerville's striking power and other distant deployments. The answer is therefore about force allocation across a global war, not a claim that the older carriers matched every capability of newer ships.