HMS Zulu (F18)

The Tribals were intended to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to improve the firepower of the existing destroyer flotillas and were thus significantly larger and more heavily armed than the preceding I class.[5] The ships displaced 1,891 long tons (1,921 t) at standard load and 2,519 long tons (2,559 t) at deep load.[6] They had an overall length of 377 feet (114.9 m), a beam of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m)[7] and a draught of 11 feet 3 inches (3.43 m).[8] The destroyers were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[7] During her sea trials Zulu made 34.9 knots (64.6 km/h; 40.2 mph) from 44,463 shp (33,156 kW) at a displacement of 2,212 long tons (2,247 t).[9] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5,700 nautical miles (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[8] The ships' complement consisted of 190 officers and ratings, although the flotilla leaders carried an extra 20 officers and men consisting of the Captain (D) and his staff.[10]

The primary armament of the Tribal-class destroyers was eight quick-firing (QF) 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in four superfiring twin-gun mounts, one pair each fore and aft of the superstructure, designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. The mounts had a maximum elevation of 40°. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they carried a single quadruple mount for the 40-millimetre (1.6 in) QF two-pounder Mk II "pom-pom" gun and two quadruple mounts for the 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Mark III machine gun.[11] Low-angle fire for the main guns was controlled by the director-control tower (DCT) on the bridge roof that fed data acquired by it and the 12-foot (3.7 m) rangefinder on the Mk II Rangefinder/Director directly aft of the DCT to an analogue mechanical computer, the Mk I Admiralty Fire Control Clock. Anti-aircraft fire for the main guns was controlled by the Rangefinder/Director which sent data to the mechanical Fuze Keeping Clock.[12]

The ships were fitted with a single above-water quadruple mount for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[10] The Tribals were not intended as anti-submarine ships, but they were provided with ASDIC, one depth charge rack and two throwers for self-defence, although the throwers were not mounted in all ships;[13] Twenty depth charges was the peacetime allotment, but this increased to 30 during wartime.[14]

Authorized as one of seven Tribal-class destroyers under the 1935 Naval Estimates,[17] Zulu was the second ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy.[18] The ship was ordered on 10 March 1936 from Alexander Stephen and Sons and was laid down on 27 August at the company's Linthouse shipyard. Launched on 23 September 1937, Zulu was commissioned on 6 September 1938 at a cost of £351,135 which excluded weapons and communications outfits furnished by the Admiralty.[19]

On 4 August 1942, Zulu — together with Sikh, Croome and Tetcott — sank the German submarine U-372 off Haifa. Zulu's commanding officer — Commander R.T. White, D.S.O.* — was Mentioned in Despatches for his efforts in sinking U-372.

In September 1942, Zulu participated in Operation Agreement, a commando raid at Tobruk, together with cruiser Coventry and destroyer Sikh. She had the task of scuttling Coventry after she was damaged in an air raid. Zulu was sunk by enemy aircraft on 14 September 1942, after bombarding Tobruk, following the rescue of Sikh. Shore batteries hit Sikh which began to sink. White manoeuvred his ship to try to rescue Sikh and her crew, attaching lines to her to drag her out of danger, having laid a smokescreen. Sikh eventually sank but Zulu succeeded in saving the lives of a number of her crew. Aircraft continued to attack Zulu and she finally succumbed, sinking the following day. Zulu took forty casualties from these attacks: twelve killed, twenty-seven missing, and one member of the crew was wounded. The attack, according to her commanding officer, was carried out by Ju 88s and Ju 87s—12 Ju 87s belonging to III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 formed part of the attack.[4]

• Brice, Martin H. (1971). The Tribals. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0245-2.
• English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
• de Zeng, H.L.; Stankey, D.G.; Creek, E.J. (2009). Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Vol. 1. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-9065-3708-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers and Frigates, the Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
• Haarr, Geirr H. (2010). The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-051-1.
• Haarr, Geirr H. (2009). The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-310-9.
• Hodges, Peter (1971). Tribal Class Destroyers. London: Almark. ISBN 0-85524-047-4.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
• Weal, John (1998). Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-722-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Zulu (F18).

• Uboat.net
• HMS Cavalier.org
• www.Unit histories.com White, Richard Taylor