The Tribals were named after native tribes in different areas of the British Empire.
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2 Tribal Class Destroyers 1936 |
Between 1905 and 1908, the Royal Navy built 12 ships of this class. During World War I, they saw action in the
North Sea and English Channel.
In 1936, the Royal Navy ordered 16 large destroyers to compete with the similarly sized vessels being built for
Japan, Germany and Italy. Canada ordered four ships from British shipyards and built
another four at Halifax.
Australia built three ships for its navy.
The Tribals are considered beautiful ships and are remembered with great affection to this day.
The exact specifications of the ships varied depending on when and where they were built. Some details, like the armament, changed during the course of the war. These specs are for the original design.
HMCS Haida, the only surviving tribal, is being restored and preserved as a museum in the harbour of
Hamilton, Ontario Canada.
The front half of HMS Maori is under 13 meters of water in Marsamaxett Harbour, Valletta, Malta where it sunk
during World War II. It is a well-known scuba diving site.
Tribal Class Destroyers 1905
Specifications
Tribal Class Destroyers 1936
Specifications
The Ships
Royal Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Ships Today
Books about the Tribals
External Links