TRIBAL-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from Stephens
of Govan on 10th March 1935 under the 1935 Build Programme. The ship was laid
down on 10th August 1936 and launched on 23rd September 1937 as the 2nd RN
warship to carry this name. It had previously been used by a destroyer built in
1909 and seriously damaged in action in 1916. Build was completed on 7th
September 1938 at a contract price of £351,135. Because of speedy construction
achieved, she was nominated as Lead Ship for this Class. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Ruislip, Middlesex now part of
the London Borough of Hillingdon.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
DOVER PATROL 1914-16 - NORWAY 1940 - ATLANTIC 1941 - BISMARCK Action
1941 - MALTA
CONVOYS 1941-42 - LIBYA 1941 - SIRTE 1942
- MEDITERRANEAN 1942
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Barry wavy of
six white and blue. in front of two Zulu
spears, a Zulu shield Proper
S u m m a r y o f P
r e –W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 8
August Build completion delayed
by late delivery of Gunnery equipment
September Contractors trials
6th Commissioned for service in 2nd
TRIBAL Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet.
Build
completed and commenced Acceptance Trials
October Passage to Portland on
completion of trials.
November On completion of work-up for
operational deployment took passage to Mediterranean to join
Flotilla
18th Joined Flotilla in Malta.
(Note:
Flotilla was to comprise HM Destroyers AFRIDI, COSSACK, GURKHA, MAORI,
MOHAWK, NUBIAN*, SIKH and ZULU. Ships marked * had not yet joined from build.)
December Deployed for Flotilla exercises
and Fleet duties.
Pennant Number
for visual signalling purposes changed to Fl 8
1 9 3 9
January Flotilla duties in
continuation
( Note: Some ships
in Flotilla were deployed for Non-intervention Patrol in western
Mediterranean to prevent passage of arms to the belligerents in the
Spanish civil war
February Took part in joint Mediterranean
and Home Fleet exercises based at Gibraltar with Flotilla,
March Flotilla deployment for
Fleet and Flotilla exercises
April 2nd TRIBAL Destroyer
Flotilla re-designated 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
5th Visited Palma, Majorca on return passage
to Malta
May Deployed for Fleet
Exercise and visits programme,
to
July
August Took part in special exercise with Fleet
units in Aegean arranged by CinC Mediterranean Fleet
in
anticipation of war with Italy. Returned to Alexandria to take up war station
after shortened
visit to Istanbul.
D e t a i l s o
f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
September Deployed for contraband control
to enforce blockade of shipping carrying goods destined for
Germany.
Nominated with Flotilla for return to UK
for Home Fleet duties.
October Passage to UK for service
in North Sea for convoy defence and interception of enemy ships
on passage to
and from German ports.
November North Sea deployment in
continuation.
(Note:
Incidence of defects including leaks in feed water tanks required withdrawal
from use
for repair. This particular type of defect was common to the Class and
related to
problems with turbine blades. These were considered due to structural
stress when
steaming at high speed in rough weather. See BRITISH DESTROYERS by E
March.)
December
Passage to Rosyth for repair.
5th Taken in hand for repair by
HM Dockyard.
1 9 4 0
January
Further defect work on turbines and fit of degaussing equipment
transferred to commercial
shipyard in
Leith
23rd Work commenced at Leith.
February
Under repair at Leith.
March
Resumed operational service with 4th Destroyer Flotilla on completion of
post refit trials.
Deployed for
screening of HM Cruisers GALATEA and AURORA with other Home Fleet
destroyers as
part of Rosyth Striking Force
April Deployed with Rosyth
Striking Force.
7th Took passage from Rosyth with
HM Destroyers AFRIDI, GURKHA, SIKH, MOHAWK,
COSSACK,
KASHMIR, KELVIN, Polish destroyers ORP GROM, ORP BLYSKAW1C and
ORP BURZA as
screen for HMS AURORA and HMS GALATEA during search for German
warships north
of position 58.30N 3.30E.
8th Joined Home Fleet ships with
Rosyth Striking Force and deployed with destroyer screen during
continuation
of search operation.
9th Detached from Fleet with HMS
COSSACK to escort HM Destroyers KELVIN and KASHMIR
which had been
damaged in collision
(For details
of the Home Fleet deployments between 7th and 10th April 1940 see NAVAL
OPERATIONS OF
THE CAMPAIGN IN NORWAY (HMSO).).
10th Passage from Scapa Flow to
rejoin Home Fleet screen.
11th Deployed with Home Fleet in
support of planned landings in Norway (Operation RUPERT/R4)
15th Carried out reconnoitre of
Narvik area and Rombaks Fjord with HM Destroyer FAULKNOR.
24th Took part in bombardment of
Narvik with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AURORA
ENTERPRISE and
EFFINGHAM. For details see above reference.
May Norwegian support and
convoy defence in continuation.
Pennant Number
for visual signalling changed to G18.
10th Deployed with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA
to intercept ss NORD NORGE which had been
taken over by
German military to take troops to Mo area
11th
On arrival at Hennes
found enemy troops had already landed but sank ss NORD NORGE with
HMS CALCUTTA.
For details of
the disastrous operations off Norway see THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
Jack Adams,
NARVIK by D MacIntyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton and above
reference).
(Note: Stores
for landing party still on board.)
Passage to Mo to embark soldiers
who had escaped from Hennes.
12th Escorted HMS PENELOPE to Clyde
from Skelfjord with HM Cruisers COVENTRY,
CALCUTTA, HM
Destroyers ISIS, CAMPBELL and WITCH.
18th Resumed Home Fleet duties.
June Deployed with Home
Fleet at Scapa Flow for screening duties.
7th Part of screen for HM
Battlecruisers RENOWN, REPULSE, HM Cruisers SUFFOLK and
NEWCASTLE with
HM Destroyers KELVIN, MAORI, FORESTER and FOXHOUND
during search
in NW Approaches for commerce raiders reported on passage to attack
Atlantic convoys.
8th Return passage to Scapa Flow
with HMS KELVIN as escort for HMS RENOWN after an
unsuccessful
search.
10th Retained at Scapa Flow for
screening duties.
(Note: Two capital ships of
Home Fleet were kept in Scapa Flow for anti-invasion duties in
Channel or North Sea.
11th Deployed with HM Destroyers
ELECTRA, ANTELOPE, DIANA, ACHERON and HIGHLANDER
as
escort for HMS RENOWN and ARK ROYAL during planned attacks against German
warships
at Trondheim.
(Note: Although initially cancelled a subsequent attack was launched
but it was unsuccessful.)
13th Escorted damaged destroyer HMS
ELECTRA to Troon following a collision with HMS
ANTELOPE during screening duties.
22nd Deployed for Home Fleet Flotilla
duties at Scapa Flow.
July Home Fleet deployment
in continuation.
Nominated for
refit.
Passage to
Tyne from Scapa Flow on release for refit
29th Taken in hand for refit by Swan
Hunter shipyard in Newcastle.
July Under refit
August
9th Resumed Home Fleet Flotilla
duties based at Scapa Flow on completion of post repair and refit
trials.
30th Detonated acoustic mine and
sustained significant structural damage.
October Passage to Forth for
repair.
Taken in hand by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
November Under repair,
to
December
1 9 4 1
January
18th Resumed Flotilla duties at
Scapa Flow on completion of post repair trials.
February Home Fleet screening and
Flotilla duties in continuation.
March Detached for escort of
minelayers.
11th Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayers
AGAMEMNON, PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS and
SOUTHERN PRINCE
for minelay in Northern Barrage with HM Destroyer COSSACK.
(Operation
SN68B)
April Home Fleet screening
and patrol duties with Flotilla in continuation.
May Detached for Atlantic
convoy defence.
22nd Joined military convoy WS8B as
Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches with HM
Cruiser CAIRO, HM Destroyers
COSSACK, BRIDGE, MAORI, OTTAWA (RCN), SIKH,
RESTIGOUCHE
(RCN), and Polish ORP PIORUN.
26th Detached from escort of
Atlantic convoy to relieve escort for H M Battleship KING
GEORGE V during
search for German Battleship BISMARCK.
27th Carried cut Torpedo attacks on
BISMARCK with destroyers of 4th Flotilla.
(For details
see PURSUIT by Ludovic Kennedy and BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by
Mullenheim-
Rechberg)
June Deployed for Home
Fleet Flotilla duties.
2nd Passage to Clyde for Atlantic
convoy escort.
3rd Joined military convoy WS9A as
Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches with HM
Cruiser CAIRO,
HM Armed Merchant Cruiser AUSONIA, HM Destroyers COSSACK,
MAORI, OTTAWA
(RCN), RAMSAY, RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), SIKH, VANQUISHER
and WINCHELSEA.
7th Detached from WS9A and returned
to Clyde with Local Escort.
10th Passage to Falmouth for
investigation into propulsion machinery defects causing excessive
vibration.
12th Taken in hand by commercial
shipyard.
(Note: Refit
work was also undertaken and including replacement of mainmast by a new
structure to suit fit of aerial for wireless direction finding outfit.
20mm single Oerlikon
mountings were fitted on bridge
wings, Radar Type
285 for main armament gunnery fire control installed and depth
charge throwers re-sited on quarter deck.)
July Under refit
August Passage to Scapa Flow to
rejoin Home Fleet for duties in NW Approaches.
Nominated for
transfer to Mediterranean to rejoin Flotilla.
9th Deployed for Home Fleet duty on
completion of post repair and refit trials.
31st Joined military convoy WS11 in
Clyde for Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches with
HM
Cruiser CAIRO, HM Destroyers COSSACK, HIGHLANDER, LEGION,
LIVELY, WINCHELSEA, Polish ORP GARLAND, ORP
PIORUN and Dutch ISAAC
SWEERS.
September
2nd Detached from WS11 with Local
Escort and took passage to Clyde.
5th Deployed with HM Destroyer
SIKH for escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS,
PORT QUEBEC
and SOUTHERN PRINCE during minelay in Northern Barrage.
(Operation
SN5A-For details of all minelaying activities see the Naval Staff History
(Mining)).
Resumed
Flotilla duties with Home Fleet on completion.
On completion
took passage to Gibraltar to join Flotilla.
10th Deployed at
Gibraltar with Force H.
13th Took part with HM Destroyers
GURKHA, LANCE and LIVELY as screen for HM Battleship
NELSON and HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL in Force B during Malta aircraft delivery
(Operation
STYLE II)
(Note:
Aircraft were launched from HMS FURIOUS deployed in Force A as well as from HMS
ARK ROYAL. See MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman)
24th Joined Force X at Gibraltar
as screen for HM Cruisers KENYA, EDINBURGH,
SHEFFIELD,
HERMIONE and EURYALUS with HM Destroyers COSSACK,
FORESIGHT,
FORESTER,
FARNDALE,
HEYTHROP, ORIBI, LAFOREY and LIGHTNING to escort Malta supply
convoy
during passage through Sicilian Channel to Grand Harbour.
(Operation
HALBERD).
. 28th Returned to rejoin Force H
west of Narrows after convoy arrived.
30th Deployed
with Force H at Gibraltar on return from HALBERD.
October
16th Part of screen for HM
Battleship RODNEY, HMS ARK ROYAL and HMS HERMIONE
with HM
Destroyers COSSACK, FORESTER, FORESIGHT, FURY, LEGION and SIKH to
cover Malta aircraft delivery by HMS ARK ROYAL.
(Operation
CALLBOY - This also included transit of HM Cruisers AURORA, PENELOPE,
HM
Destroyers LANCE and LIVELY to form Force K in Malta and escort two
mercantiles.)
19th Resumed Force H duties en
return to Gibraltar.
November
10th Part of screen for HM
Battleship MALAYA, HM Cruiser HERMIONE, HM Aircraft Carrier
ARK ROYAL
and HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS with H M Destroyers LAFOREY,
LIGHTNING,
SIKH, LEGION, GURKHA and Dutch destroyer ISAAC SWEERS to cover
aircraft
delivery to Malta, by HMS ARGUS (Operation PERPETUAL I).
13th Detached to escort HMS
MALAYA to Gibraltar after HMS ARK ROYAL was torpedoed by
U81during return passage
Returned to
assist HMS LAFOREY which was standing by the stricken HMS ARK ROYAL.
14th Took passage to Gibraltar
when ARK ROYAL sank during tow.
(Note: A second
aircraft delivery, Operation PERPETUAL II was cancelled).
December
Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria.
Passage to
Eastern Mediterranean.
1 9 4 2
January
4th Deployed with major units
for escort of HM Supply Ship GLENGYLE taking oil supply
to Malta and
return of HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to Alexandria. (Operation MF2).
8th Detached and deployed with
Force K based in Malta.
18th Deployed with HM Destroyers
SUCH, LANCE, LIVELY and JAGUAR to provide escort for
Convoys MW8A
and 8B for final stags of passage to Malta. (Operation MF3).
Under
sustained air attack
. 25th Deployed with HMS PENELOPE,
HMS Destroyers MAORI, LANCE, LEGION and LIVELY
as escort
for HM Supply Ship GLENGYLE and mv ROWALLAN CASTLE returning to
Alexandria
from Malta.
26th Returned to Malta when
convoy escort transferred to Mediterranean Fleet ships.
(Operation MF4 - See
above references).
February Deployed at Malta with
Force K.
7th Carried out patrol to
interception supply shipping to North Africa with HM Destroyer
LIVELY
Two small
freighters were sunk west of Sicily.
13th Escorted HMS BRECONSHIRE, ss
CITY OF CALCUTTA and ss CLAN FERGUSON for
initial
stage of passage to Alexandria with HMS PENELOPE, HM Destroyers SIKH,
LEGION, LIVELY, DECOY and FORTUNE (Convoy ME10).
14th Met HM Cruiser CARLISLE and
escort for Convoy MU9 from Alexandria.
Under heavy
air attacks during which ss ROWALLAN CASTLE was damaged.
Took ss
ROWALLAN CASTLE in tow but after further bomb damage this ship had to be
sunk by HMS
LIVELY.
(Note: No
ships of MW9 arrived in Malta - see above reference).
20th Transferred to Mediterranean
Fleet and returned to Alexandria.
March Mediterranean Fleet
deployment in continuation.
9th Part of screen for HM
Cruisers NAIAD, DIDO and EURYALUS with HM Destroyers
JERVIS, KIPLING, KELVIN,
LIVELY, SIKH, HASTY, HAVOCK and HERO during
unsuccessful search for Italian cruiser damaged by torpedo attack.
11th Took part in rescue
operations when HM Cruiser NAIAD was sunk by torpedo from U565
north of
Mersa Matru.
20th Deployed as screen for HM
Cruiser CARLISLE with HM Destroyers SIKH, LIVELY,
HERO, HAVOCK
and HASTY escorting Convoy MW10 to Malta covered by the 15th
Cruiser
Squadron.
22nd After interception of convoy
by enemy force including the battleship LITTORIO, three
cruisers and a destroyer
escort, joined 15th Cruiser Squadron ships.
Took part in
brilliant handled tactical night engagement resulting in withdrawal of the
greatly superior
Italian fleet.
(2nd Battle
of Sirte - See above references and Naval Staff History).
(Note:
Although convoy was able to avoid destruction when diverted with an escort
during
this
action it was later under heavy air attacks and the two ships which did arrive
ware
sunk after arrival. Only 5,000 of the 26,000 tons loaded were landed.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY, MEDITERRANEAN MAELSTROM by
GC Cornell
and MALTA CONVOYS.).
Sustained
structural damage due to high speed manoeuvring during this action
April Taken in hand for
repair on return to Alexandria
May Resumed operational
duties on completion of repair and deployed for
Mediterranean Fleet
screening,
patrol and support in Eastern Mediterranean
June Nominated for
escort of Malta relief convoy (Operation VIGOROUS).
12th Deployed with HM Cruisers
CLEOPATRA, DIDO, HERMIONE, EURYALUS.
ARETHUSA, COVENTRY,
NEWCASTLE and BIRMINGHAM with HM Destroyers
NAPIER,
NESTOR, NORMAN, NIZAM, JERVIS, KELVIN, JAVELIN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN,
INCONSTANT. SIKH, HASTY, HERO, CROOME, ERIDGE, DULVERTON,
EXMOOR,
AIREDALE, BEAUFORT, HURWORTH, TETCOTT, ALDENHAM and
HOTSPUR as
escort for convoy from Alexandria (Operation VIGOROUS)
(Note: Pre WW1 battleship HMS CENTURION
was disguised as a KING GEORGE V
Class Battleship to enhance the apparent strength of this escort.)
14th Under heavy and sustained
air attacks.
Threat of
interception by Italian Fleet.
Attacked by
E-Boats during darkness. HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE and HM Destroyer
HASTY
torpedoed.
15th After series of conflicting
Instructions from shore and heavy expenditure of AA ammunition
coupled with
loss and damage to warships involved. Operation abandoned.
Returned to
Alexandria.
(For full
details of this disastrous operation and its ill direction from shore see above
references.)
30th Deployed with HM Destroyers
SIKH, CROOME and TETCOTT in support of military
operations
in Syria (Operation EXPORTER).
(Note: Assistance in rescue work with HMS ZULU after HM Submarine Depot Ship MEDWAY
was sunk off Alexandria by U732 to
be confirmed.).
July Support of military
operations off Syria in continuation.
August Military support and
anti-submarine patrol with aircraft off Syria.
4th Shared credit with HM
Destroyers SIKH. CROOME, TETCOTT and aircraft "M" of RAF
221 Squadron
for sinkirg of U372 in position SW of Haifa.
(Note: This
submarine had sunk HM Submarine Depot Ship MEDWAY on 30th June).
September
Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet for patrol and convoy defence.
Nominated for
support of assault landings at Tobruk (Operation AGREEMENT)
11th Embarked detachment of Royal
Marines.
12th Passage to Tobruk for
landings with HM Destroyers SIKH, ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT,
. EXMOOR and HURWORTH.
13th During attempts to land
Royal Marines came under fire from shore batteries,
14th Took HMS SIKH in tow after
she had been seriously damaged by shore fire.
HMS SIKH sank
during towing operation.
Under heavy
air attacks during which HMS COVENTRY was set on fire and had to be
abandoned.
Sank HMS
COVENTRY.
Air attacks
continued and ship was disabled after sustaining major damage.
Taken in tow
by HM Escort Destroyer HURSLEY but sank during passage to Alexandria
in position
32.00N 28.56E.
Twelve
members of the ship’s company were killed, 24 Missing and one injured.
For details
of this ill-planned operation which met with determined and opposition see
MASSACRE AT
TOBRUK by P Smith and above references).
Casualty List
was published on 7th October 1942.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This name was carried forward when given to a TRIBAL-Class Type 81 Frigate on 3rd July 1962 launched at Govan in July 1962 by Alex,
Stephens at Govan, Glasgow. This ship commissioned on 17 April 1964 and served in the Fleet until 1979. Although placed on the Disposal
List in 1981 she was brought forward for further service in 1982 after the Falklands conflict and Paid-off two
years later. Placed on the Sales List she was sold in Indonesia and renamed MARTHA KRISTINA TIYAHARU.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ZULU
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
07/09/39
|
10/09/39
|
GREEN 1
|
13/09/39
|
18/09/39
|
22/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
GREEN 2
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
24/03/40
|
24/03/40
|
ON 022/1
|
27/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
HN 022
|
30/03/40
|
30/03/40
|
31/03/40
|
31/03/40
|
ON 024/1
|
02/04/40
|
04/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
HN 025
|
12/04/40
|
12/04/40
|
12/05/40
|
20/05/40
|
TC 004
|
21/05/40
|
21/05/40
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
FS 0258
|
22/08/40
|
22/08/40
|
12/03/41
|
12/03/41
|
OB 297
|
14/03/41
|
17/03/41
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
WS 008B
|
26/05/41
|
04/06/41
|
24/09/41
|
24/09/41
|
HALBERD
|
27/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
25/02/42
|
25/02/42
|
AT 031/M
|
27/02/42
|
27/02/42
|
11/06/42
|
13/06/42
|
MW 011
|
13/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
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