Campbell's thesis about the ready-use 4-in. ammunition being stored in ship's passages dates to about 40 years ago, and certainly looked highly likely as a cause for the destruction of Hood, but, as far as I know, it has never been investigated seriously. First of all, would a 15-in. AP shell cause a huge explosion if it hit a stockpile of 4-in. shells? They would have had to explode with considerable violence to penetrate the 15-in. magazines. It is a good idea, but has it been analyzed by the explosives experts, and naval engineers?

Lawrence is following the lead of the sudden vibration in the ship, which was so extreme, Seaman Tilburn felt it on the boat deck. The explosion of Hood was supposedly not consequent upon the arrival of a salvo from Bismarck. These two facts point towards something happening inside Hood. If I recall correctly, an observer on Prince of Wales saw something odd happening during the loading cycle of one of Hood's after turrets. Following this, he saw flames come from the turret gun ports. He posited Hood had been undone by a ramming error by a gunner, that the loader had exploded the highly sensitive cordite. What he saw could also have been the flames from the explosion of the magazines venting.

Lawrence has a good theory, based on empirical data, and a knowledge of naval architecture.