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)
|