The Third Sea Lord's construction power

Naval aviation lost its prince at court when Reginald Henderson died. The Third Sea Lord was usually junior to the First and Second Sea Lords in rank but possessed unusual control over material outcomes. The office framed which construction options the Board could select, then managed how the chosen ships were altered, organized, built, and delivered. That combination let its holder shape both the information reaching senior decision-makers and the execution of their decision. The head-and-neck analogy makes clear why control of the option set could be as powerful as issuing the final order.