I rather suspect that D'Orly-Hughes is a convenient diversion from the real incompetence which was alive and well in Whitehall (where else?). A half baked operation to mine the Lulea roads in neutral Sweden depends upon Glorious off loading the RAF fighters salvaged from the abortive Norwegian campaign, installing long range tanks and mine racks onto the already embarked Swordfish, and embarking further aircraft at Scapa Flow. Time was off the essence, the sooner Glorious could be back in Norwegian waters and launching Operation Paul then the greater its chances of success. We had now quit Norway, the Germans were rapidly taking our place and the Luftwaffe would be taking over the northern fighter airfields. So the decision is taken to start the laborious modifications to the Swordfish on the way to Scapa Flow. That basically disarms and hence dooms Glorious and her two escorts, Ardent and Acasta. She maintains an anti submarine zigzag but considers herself now out of danger from enemy aircraft. What isn't anticipated is the possible presence of strong surface naval units. But such a force is already at sea, detected by Bletchley Park and confirmed to the RAF Senior Officer by Norwegian coast watchers. None of this intelligence reaches Glorious (or any other RN ship it would seem) which is stunned by the arrival of two pocket battleships (Scharnhorst and Gneisenau) and sends a sighting report received by the cruiser HMS Devonshire, also heading back home and not far from the resulting action. In normal circumstances she would have gone to the aid of her three sister ships, but she has the Norwegian Royal Family on board and elects to continue as ordered, maintaining radio silence.
The outcome was inevitable and 1519 men died, but before she succumbed Acasta struck Scharnhorst with a torpedo, doing considerable damage and obliging the task force to return to port. The convoys packed full of troops escaped unscathed as a result, as did the Norwegian King. Both destroyers acquitted themselves bravely as witnessed by their enemy but no such recognition came from the Royal Navy. Indeed the widow of Acasta's captain is denied access to a survivor and is told nothing of how he conducted himself or how he died. Some things never change, NoK have been treated with contempt and lied to by the Admiralty's love child, the MOD, since. D'Orly-Hughes lost his ship (and his two escorts) which no doubt is enough to hang him in order to encourage other captains. How about the Admirals though? Why weren't their collars felt?