PN, I'm not suggesting that Pound's order would not be easily countermanded. Almost certainly if it had been the order would have been executed making it very difficult to reform the convoy and escorts. The point I am making is that someone should have tipped off Pound's superiors that he was ignoring the advice of others and in doing so needlessly leaving PQ17 exposed to the very real menace of the U boats and the Luftwaffe. Who those superiors might be, I don't know. What they could do in the face of a fait accompli, I don't know. Would they do anything? Again I don't know. What I do know is that as many as possible that had been overridden that day should have alerted someone higher up the CoC. Conspiracy to Mutiny? So be it. One life, one career, against so many? The decision was so bizarre as to warrant challenging and reporting, and should have been.
Your V bomber example is inappropriate. Your Captain knew that order could come, and if he wasn't going to obey it the answer wasn't to disobey it but to offer to resign instead. Tough choices all.
I do not share the characterisation of the UK Officer Corps then by you and racedo as by accident of birth. The wartime realities meant that ability not birth counted for more. Pound was FSL because of his record and proven ability not because of his birth, but he was human and subject to its frailty. The RNMS should have been on to that. It failed him and the country.
racedo, I don't think 'diatribe' given the list of generalisations that you came out with amounted to personal abuse but rather fair comment. The discussion was about one VSO, one order, and the consequences of that order. It was you that expanded it out to condemnation of most holding (UK?) command. I thought that 'diatribe' summed it up well. I'm sorry that you disagree.