I haven't read up on the Battle Of Savo in years ( there is a good book circa 1962 by Stan Smith) and other than re reading a Wikipedia entry now.

 

It seems like communications failure was a result of allowing the Japs to get down the slot and take out both the Northern and Southern groups with little to no warning. Australia and Canberra were in the southern group where HMAS Canberra was sunk, along with the USN ships.

 

I don't think being a first rate officer helps when your superiors are muppets and you are restricted in what you can do with your subordinate taskforce group in the wider scheme of things.

 

I have often wondered though, why HMAS Hobart wasn't in the same grouping as her fellow Aussies in the southern group. Would have been kind of like our Scrap Iron Flotilla that served in the Med together.