Naval Intelligence Division (Royal Navy)

Commander Gilbert Stephenson, an officer in the Intelligence Division, later commented:

The system in the War Room at the start was very inadequate. None of the Commanders on duty there was able to take action without the approval of a Post-Captain. This was quite ridiculous, and I said so! My suggestion for more delegation of authority was not approved.

But when I worked as a Duty Commander - 24 hours on, 48 hours off - there was no question of referring everything to senior officers. The messages that came in had to be acted upon - and of course that suited me much better.