Senior officers such as Jellicoe had recognized the shell shortcomings well before the war, yet reform repeatedly stalled. A tougher proof test threatened to expose prior production by Vickers and Armstrong Whitworth as unsatisfactory and interrupt sales while a replacement was developed. Short appointments also limited the time an officer had to master a post and force a large defence-industrial system to change course. Jellicoe and Beatty later gave Dreyer the senior cover needed to act, while Fisher is faulted for accepting the problem in exchange for cooperation on priorities he valued more. The obstacle was institutional. The technical fixes were relatively easy, while their political and commercial costs delayed action.
Notable Point · 28:45-32:20
Why a known shell problem resisted reform
Defective shells became an institutional problem because changing the proof regime meant admitting that expensive existing ammunition was inadequate.