Could a First World War crew operate a modern warship?

How quickly could a First World War crew understand and fight a modern warship?

They could learn parts of the ship over time, but modern digital controls and combat stress would make immediate wartime use unrealistic.

A First World War crew would recognise switches, dials, and some mechanical controls, but microelectronics and computers would lie outside its experience. Reading a digital display would not necessarily explain how to change its settings or operate the system behind it. Pressing unfamiliar controls could produce a lockout even when the crew understood what the ship ought to do. Accessible, intuitive controls would help, since modern interfaces must also work for people under fire or in rough seas. With the ship alongside and weeks to experiment, sailors could learn some functions. Dropping them straight into combat would give them very little chance to acquire that understanding.