HALIFAX, June 10, 1945 (CP) - As ships' whistles blared a mad welcome, Canada's fighting tribal class destroyers Iroquois, Huron and Haida, steamed into port here today from European waters for a "rubdown" and reconditioning before going on to the Pacific to add further laurels to their already impressive total.

Besides their regular crews many of whom have volunteered to sail  to the Pacific battlefronts, the Tribals brought back a group of  navy and army passengers packed into every available inch of space. The big 2,000 ton destroyers, pride of Canada's small ship navy reached Halifax early this morning. They ploughed in line abreast over the horizon

and as they approached the submarine net across the mouth of Halifax harbour, Iroquois steamed ahead and Haida and Huron followed in line through the gate as the bright sun glinted on their spotless guns and equipment. Ships in harbour let loose a welcoming blast from their whistles, the troopships Pasteur and Volendam joining in enthusiastically as the destroyers moved up the harbour.

They berthed at the Dockyard, where they were welcomed by Vice Admiral G. C. Jones, Canadian naval chief of staff and acting commander in chief Canadian Northwest Atlantic. Admiral Jones went aboard to greet the ships' personnel, along with captain "D" at Halifax, Capt. J. C. Hibbard, D. S.C., former commanding officer of Iroquois. Then began the job of getting the men off on leave and making preparations for converting the ships for use in tropical waters.  The three Tribals are stated to see action in the Pacific, along with a sister ship H.M.C.S. Micmac, now being readied for its initial tests at Halifax shipyards.

Many of the crew will go along with the ships, some 150 from Haida alone. Others will be given their overseas service leave before getting their discharge. Iroquois,. Huron and Haida have  seen some stirring actions in their career -- pre D-Day operations along the enemy coast. Channel engagements. Convoy work to Murmansk and escorting of liberation forces to Norway among their latest achievements.

Iroquois is the oldest of the three Tribals. She was commissioned in November 1942. and the others the next summer. A sister ship, H.M.C.S. Athabaskan, went down fighting in a fierce duel with German destroyers in the English Channel on April 29, 1944.  Haida was with Athabaskan in that fight, and saved some of her complement of more than 240. Most of  the crew were lost—130 were killed in the torpedo blast that ripped her insides out and sent her down.

The only original officer of Iroquois still aboard her is Lieut. William Hayes of Swift Current Saskatchewan.

Iroquois went to Oslo after V-E day as once of the escorting force that took Crown Prince Olav of Norway back to his homeland. " The fiords were packed solid with small ships and there were hundreds of people on the shores yelling their heads off" Cmdr . Adams said. "When we tied up, the girls were crowding around kissing the sailors but I was up on the bridge and missed it all", he grinned.

Just Before the war in Europe ended, Iroquois was in a force that roamed the Norwegian coast in search of enemy shipping. On April 3, she tangled with a convoy of nine ships and destroyers on the way to Northern Norway  and came out the winner.