In 1934, the British Admiralty evaluated the possible threats posed by the destroyers of the Japanese Fubuki class and the Italian Navigatori class. Each class displaced 1,680 and 1,943 tons respectively. The French navy had 'super' destroyers in service and the smallest one displaced 2,100 tons. Germany did not have such big destroyers but a new class being laid down would displace more than 2,000 tons. The majority of British destroyers in service or under construction ('A' to 'I') classes were much smaller in displacement coming in at 1,300 tons. The 'W' and 'V' classes were even older, smaller and weaker. Naturally, it was decided that the next generation of destroyer must be larger and more powerful in order to provide a steady platform for the extra guns required for adequate defence against the ships of those foreign navies.

Financial considerations dictated that the new class be built with transverse framing and the suggestion that longitudinal framing be used was rejected since it was too expensive. Initially, the contract price was estimated to be approximately 340,000 pounds. In reality, the ships cost anywhere between 512,000 and 523,000 pounds per copy. No fewer than eight designs were prepared before one could be found to satisfy all requirements. When the overall design of the Tribals came before the Admiralty Board, a Sea Lord criticized the straight stem (the line of the bow) and pencilled on the drawing, the slight curve that he thought would improve the look. This modification was accepted as drawn, thus giving the new Tribal class a powerful, beautiful and effective look. The new class derived its Tribal name from the Tribal or F class of 1907. In preparing the final design, Mr. A.P. Cole wanted to design a good looking ship in the hope that the officers and men would be proud of her appearance. Such a feature cannot easily be measured.

The main armament was to be eight, 4.7 inch guns in four, Mk XIX LA (Low Angle)/HA (High Angle), 40 degree twin mountings; close range armament would consist of four 2 pounder 'pompoms' in one quadruple Mk VII mounting, plus eight 0.5 inch machine guns in two quadruple mountings. Other armament included four, Mk IX torpedoes launched by explosive charge. On port and starboard, just aft of the torpedo tubes there would be depth-charge throwers and a depth charge chute at the stern. As originally designed, the magazines housed two thousand four hundred 4.7 inch shells divided into the following catagories: 1,600 LA shells; 400 HA shells and 400 star shells; 14,400 rounds of 2 pounder ammunition and 10,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition. Up to 30 depth charges would be carried aboard. Initially, the Tribals were fitted with ceramic wash basins in the Officers quarters situated near the aft end. It was found that the basins cracked when depth charges exploded so stainless steel basins were fitted in order to remedy the problem.

The range-finder director estimated the height and speed of a target and controlled the anti-aircraft (AA) gun via the Admiralty Fire Control Clock situated in the Transmitting Station. The clock provided data for gun elevation, gun bearing and fuse settings for the shell, otherwise known as the fire control solution. When all was ready, the 4.7 inch guns could be fired at a rate of ten rounds per minute. The system worked quite well provided that the ship remain steady, the target aircraft flew straight and level, that the gun did not have to fire higher than 40 degrees elevation and that the air attack did not total more than five minutes in duration, otherwise all of the AA ammunition would be used up.

Overall length of the new class would be 377 feet; a beam of 36.5 feet and a draught of 9 feet with a standard displacement of 1854 tons. The bridge differed from the majority of ships of earlier classes. Instead of being situated directly below the upper bridge, the wheelhouse was located forward of the bridge structure. This enabled the upper bridge to be lowered, thus lowering and improving the Tribal's silhouette. The upward slope of the wheelhouse roof would deflect the air turbulence caused by 'A' and 'B' gun mountings. As a result, the bridge was relatively free of draught. One commanding officer was heard to complain that he had to go to the wings of the bridge to get some fresh air.

Three Admiralty type 3 drum boilers would produce steam at 300 lb/sq.in and two Parsons, reaction type, single induction steam turbines would collectively deliver 44,000 shaft horsepower to twin propellers thus giving the vessel a top speed of 36 knots. A fuel capacity of 520 tons of bunker oil would yield an endurance of 5,700 nautical miles at 15 knots. Fuel consumption would be substantially greater if higher speeds were maintained for any length of time. The ships company would total 190 men. Ships employed as flotilla or divisional leaders would be manned by 219 people.

In 1935, plans called for the construction of seven Tribals. A year later, this forecast was revised to sixteen vessels. On 10th March 1936, three days after the German troops marched into the Rhineland, orders for the first seven Tribals were sent out to the shipbuilders and in June 1936, the second batch was ordered. On 9th June 1936, the keels of the first two Tribals (AFRIDI and COSSACK) were laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong High Walker Yard on the Tyne River. The sixteen ships were organized into the 1st Tribal Destroyer Flotilla (AFRIDI, GURKHA, MOHAWK, SIKH, COSSACK, MAORI, ZULU and NUBIAN) and the 2nd Tribal Destroyer Flotilla (SOMALI, ASHANTI, MASHONA, ESKIMO, TARTAR, MATABELE, BEDOUIN and PUNJABI). They were intended to serve in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets respectively. By May 1939, experience had shown that although larger, the Tribals were just normal destroyers and not a special type. The 1st Tribal Destroyer Flotilla was renamed the 4th Destroyer Flotilla. The 2nd Tribal Destroyer Flotilla became the 6th Destroyer Flotilla.

The sixteen British Tribals had been reduced down to four by 1943. Remaining in service, were ASHANTI, ESKIMO, NUBIAN and TARTAR. Soon these were to be joined by four Canadian Tribals which were being built for the Royal Canadian Navy by Vickers-Armstrong. Those ships were ATHABASKAN, HURON, HAIDA and IROQUOIS. In April 1944, ATHABASKAN would be lost. Canada was also building four more Tribals in Halifax (ATHABASKAN II, CAYUGA, MICMAC, and NOOTKA) but these would not see service until after World War II. Australia built three of her own Tribals (ARUNTA, BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA) which saw service during the war. Four more ships had been projected but never constructed.

After the Tribals entered service, it was found that many cracks were developing in the hull and its reinforcing structure as a result of running at high speed in rough seas. "How wide is it this morning?" was an often repeated question heard from ships' crews. The later hulls were re-designed and the early ones were stiffened during refit.

As the class developed, extra equipment meant that personnel had to be crammed into shrinking living quarters. Hammocks touching, messdecks two feet deep in water, violent weather, infrequent mail, irregular leave all led to petty irritations which eventually assumed monstrous proportions. Regardless of rank or branch, some people simply got on each other's nerves. Some Tribals were happier than others, but overall, there was a bond of camaraderie between ships' companies more in this class than in any other. Some ships became so close or 'chummy' that their crews seemed completely interchangeable.

By 1949, the four remaining Royal Navy Tribals had been scrapped while most of the Canadian and Australian ships were altered considerably to perform new tasks in an ever changing world. By the 1960's most of the class was gone except for ARUNTA which sank on the way to the breakers yard. Today, only HMCS HAIDA survives.

DESCRIPTION OF A TRIBAL  - 1938 to 1939
Extract from  the book "THE TRIBALS" by Martin Brice , pages 15 , 17 and 18.

RIGHT FORWARD over the distinctive Tribal bow, was a jackstaff and anchor light. Next on the fo'c'sle came a capstan with cables to two bower anchors. Around 'A'  mounting were ready/use rounds, hand/ups and other ammunition arrangements. A Carley float could be carried on each side of the bridge structure which here rose from the fo'c'sle deck.

Inside the superstructure on this level were the CPO's, PO's, and ERA's messes, the engineer's office and a drying room. On the next level, 'B' gun deck, was "B" mounting, and a blast screen to protect 'A' gun's crew. A single machine gun could be mounted on each wing of the bridge while within were located the wheelhouse, signal office, plotting table, charthouse, CO's sea cabin, and D/F office.

The bridge differed from the majority of ships of earlier classes. The wheelhouse, instead of being situated directly below the upper bridge, was located forward of the bridge structure and protected by bullet/proof plating. This enabled the upper bridge to be lowered, thus improving the ship's silhouette. The wheelhouse was shaped so as to deflect the wind and air turbulence caused by 'A' and 'B' mountings, away from the open upper bridge, and thus produce a relatively draught/proof bridge. One commanding officer was heard to complain that he had to go to the wings of the bridge to get some fresh air.

On the open bridge a variety of instruments and equipment included a 20 inch signal lamp, the asdic cabinet, the director control tower, pompom directors and a combined 12ft range-finder and AA director.

This rangefinder-director estimated the target's height and speed and controlled AA fire via a fuse-keeping clock in the transmitting station (TS) which sent data regarding elevation, training and fuse to the 4.7in guns. The mountings trained round together following a mechanical pointer, while another mechanical device (thefuse setter) clamped the shell and rotated the nose to set the fuse to burst the shell at the correct altitude. When all was ready, the guns were fired by the director, rate of fire being ten rounds per minute. The system worked quite well provided the ship remained steady, the target aircraft flew straight and level, the guns did not have to fire at more than 40° elevation, and that the attacks did not total more than five minutes otherwise all the AA ammunition would be used up.

The tripod foremast carried fighting lights on the foreyard. Flashing and steaming lights were installed on the foretop mast and foretop yard, with a MF/DF coil at the foretop. The crew's-nest was reached by Jacob's ladder. The galley was at the base of the foremast with seamen's urinals to port and the torpedo store to starboard. There were also boiler room vents here.

The forward funnel, taking smoke from No. I and 2 boiler rooms, was Ranked by a motor, boat to port and the whaler to starboard. The dinghy could be stowed underneath the whaler, or on the port side of the after funnel. Next came the machine, gun position where a Carley float could be fixed athwanships over more boiler room vents. The after funnel exhausted No.3 boiler, with the other motor-boat to starboard.

Abaft the torpedo tubes and torpedo crane, the after superstructure contained the engineers' workshop, sick-bay, CO's pantry, his day cabin, sleeping cabin and bathroom. Above these ompartments were the after pompom position, the searchlight and after conning position. two nests of Carley  floats  and two depth charge throwers. The tripod mainmast carried a yard, a gaff and a Jacob's ladder. 'X' mounting's blast screen was fitted with a fog light. Right aft on the upper deck, was 'Y' mounting and the depth-charge chutes. Gangways  were stowed here (for rigging aft or amidships) and there was an ensign staff.

Due to the curve of the: bow only the upper deck existed from the stem to wate tight bulkhead (WTB) No. 2  below decks, forming the forepeak and lamp and paint room below decks. from WTB No.2 to the fo'c'sle break there were three  decks: upper, lower and hold.

The whole upper deck between WTB No.2 and 7 was given over to crew space.

Then came a complex area housing the TS (gunnery nerve centre of the ship), the fire control station, the canteen and its issue room, oilskin room, potato store, washrooms and heads. More crew space ran through to WTB No.9 where the fo'c'sle ended. The lower deck in this part of the ship contained the cable locker, No. I central store and the asdic room, the rest of this level being taken up with crew space as far as WTB No.9. Below this was located the petrol tank compartment. No.2 central store over a fresh water tank and No. I and 2 provision and cold rooms over the ASDIC dome (each Tribal carried enough stores for four months). There were two 4.7in magazines. two 4.7in shellrooms, the 2 pdr magazine and No. I and 2 fuel oil tanks. No.3 and 4 fuel oil tanks and a diesel tank came next under the stoker PO's mess. gyro compass and low power rooms. From WTB No. 10 to WTB No. 15 there were five very large compartments.

Firstly, No. I boiler room; then No.2 boiler room over fresh and reserve feed water tanks. followed by No.3 boiler room and then the engine room (also with reserve feed water tanks). From the gearing and switchboard rooms twin shafts ran in tunnels through No. 5 to 8 fuel oil tank to plummer-block and gland compartments. and thence to the propellers.

The rest of the lower deck was made up of the 2nd  WIT office. gunner and torpedo stores. torpedo head room, engineer-officer's cabin. ship's office. wardroom, stewards' mess, provision room and officers' cabins. An unfortunate feature of their design was their ceramic washbasins - they all cracked when depth-charges were dropped and later on were replaced with stainless steel ones.

The effect of shock waves due to non-contact underwater explosions (such as depth-charges. mines and near misses by shells and bombs) was not appreciated until later in the war. All sorts of items, especially the seatings of auxiliary machinery, and often main machinery itself, were affected in ships of all classes. Flying splinters from exploding projectiles of all kinds also resulted in serious damage, often starting fires if they penetrated and short circuited electric cables.

There were  then two more: 4.7in magazines and shell rooms, the: captain's and wardroom store, and the spirit room (provisioned for three months). These compartments  were: on the hold deck. The steering gear compartment, over the rudder, was the: aftermost one in the ship.
 

WRENS of the Long Room Signal Station, Plymouth, England (After the Action on 6 Jun 44 in which Haida and Huron sank Z-32 and damaged ZH-1 and T-24).

Oct 2/20