James Holland

But it would have been better if they hadn't been late.

Perfectly put, Jim.

And at 10.15 that morning, the Admiralty approved a suggestion from Forbes.

I mean, this is... Finally they're agreeing with Forbes.

This is the idea that he has to make suggestions and wait for them to be signed off.

I mean, just do it.

The delay that could fall into while people scratch their heads in London and Admiralty Arch.

So his suggestion is to send a naval force to Bergen and they go, okay, fine.

Four cruisers and destroyers are detached for this purpose.

But the weather's really bad is the thing that's been a big part of this story.

Severe gales, very strong wind, and the destroyers can only manage 16 knots, so they're not going to get to Bergen before nightfall.

And then news arrives of enemy cruisers at Bergen, so they sack that off.

It's too dangerous.

Too late.

Yeah, too late, too dangerous now, too difficult.

If they pressed on, they would have found the Königsberg, which has been smashed up, and the destroyer Bremse.

So they'd also bumped into...

The Curl, which was sailing after dark.

So there's a good opportunity, actually, to give the Kriegsmarine a bloody nose.

He is unimpressed.