Haida

Design

First thoughts of a new destroyer class percolated within the Royal Navy as early as 1934, when became clear that a versatile and powerful destroyer leader design was needed which would displace not more than 1,850 tons to not break the 1930 London Naval Treaty. The intended tasks of such a vessel would range from patrol and guard duties over to escorting convoys, to supporting destroyer flotillas, up to defending fleets, convoys, and ports against air attacks. To fulfill these tasks, it was concluded that a heavy artillery component would be required, so early designs proposed ten (10) 120mm guns in five turrets, several machine guns for air defense, and also torpedo tubes in case of night battles. The idea of installing the 40mm 2-pdr “PomPoms” was quickly discarded, as such installations would only increase the displacement, and they could always be installed later on in case of hostilities, as in those cases the restrictions of any treaty would no longer be a factor.

As the design progressed through 1935, it was decided to abandon the idea of five turrets and incorporate the “PomPoms” into the design. This happened in part as a result of the American Somers-class, which also featured four twin turrets, and the British designers did not want to cause a naval arms race by building even stronger ships.

The initial configuration displaced 1,854 tons, and had machinery which allowed up to 44,000 shaft horsepower for a maximum speed of 36 knots. However, when fully loaded up to 2,519 tons displacement, this speed would drop to 32.5 knots. Like most destroyers of the British Navy, they had a very impressive cruising range of 5,700 statute miles, exceeding the operating range of many foreign destroyers. The armament consisted of four twin-mounted 120mm guns with a maximum elevation 40°, which were directed by a fire control system that could track both sea and air targets, giving the main armament a theoretical ability to engage low flying aircraft. One quadruple 40mm 2-pdr and two .50-caliber machine guns would ensure close range AA defense, while one quadruple 533mm torpedo launcher provided additional striking power against surface units. The anti-submarine armament consisted of 20 depth charges.

In 1936, seven ships were ordered; these began to enter service in 1938. Due to political reasons, and the increasing threat of foreign navies — particularly Germany, which had begun to build very large and combat capable destroyers — nine more were ordered only a few months after the first seven. In 1939, three further vessels were built for the Royal Australian Navy, and four more for the Royal Canadian Navy followed in 1940. Canada also built four more ships in their own shipyards, bringing the final tally to twenty-seven (27) vessels of the class constructed. Christened the Tribal class, all twenty-seven ships were named after indigenous tribes of native peoples found throughout the British Empire (such as Sikh, Iroquois, and Warramunga).

After the onset of World War II, aircraft proved to be a very effective counter to destroyers, and two Tribal-class ships were sunk by air attacks (HMS Afridi and HMS Gurkha). In the interest of increasing their anti-aircraft defenses, the X-turret was removed and replaced by a twin high-angle 102mm dual purpose gun. The light and medium AA was similarly revised and modernized by adding 20mm Oerlikons and the famous 40mm Bofors, which eventually replaced the 2-pdr quadruple and the .50-caliber machine guns. Additionally, the number of depth charges was increased to up to 46 as the ships saw increasing service performing convoy duties during the Battle of the Atlantic. As it became available, members of the class also received radar equipment; however, this only happened from 1944 onwards.

The Canadian Tribals built by Vickers had a few design differences compared to the ones built for the Royal Navy. First of all, the quad “pom-pom” was placed just forward of the X-turret, which gave the weapon much greater high-angle firing arcs; it’s original placement was taken over by a searchlight mount. Interestingly for Haida, she was built with a different bridge than the first generation Tribal-class destroyers; she omitted an elevated control tower as its functionality became obsolescent.

In the late 1940s, Haida underwent a massive refit of armaments and equipment. Her two forward twin 4.7-inch guns were replaced by 2 MkXVI mounts sprouting twin 4-inch guns (similar to what was on the X mount). The X-turret was replaced with a twin 3-inch/50 calibre guns, and the aft 4.7-inch twin turret was replaced with a pair of Squid anti-submarine mortars. Furthermore she was equipped with a plethora of new radar and sonar equipment.

Service

HMCS Haida was laid down by the Vickers-Armstrong company at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 29 September 1941. She was launched 25 August 1942 and commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 30 August 1943 (pennant G63).

After being commissioned, she was put under command of her legendary commander, H. G. DeWolf, and spent the first leg of her career with the British Home Fleet, stationed in Scapa Flow. Her main duties were as convoy escorts for merchantmen migrating to and from Loch Ewe in Scotland to port cities in Russia.

One notable patrol during this time was her participation as the escort for convoy JW 55B; departing Loch Ewe on 20 December for Murmansk, Russia. This was the very convoy that Scharnhorst attempted to intercept on her final sortie. While the stationed cruisers kept the German raider at bay, the destroyers shepherded the merchants away from harm to the awaiting Russian forces near Murmansk.

By January of the following year, Haida was assigned to the 10th Destroyer Flotilla stationed on the English Channel. Here she partook in a plethora of patrols along the Bay of Biscay and the Channel, contributing to Operations Tunnel and Hostile; operations designed to suppress German forces in preparation for Operation Overlord. It was here where Haida earned her reputation as a fearsome fighter.

On the night of April 25/26, a force of Canadian Tribals engaged the 4th Torpedo boat flotilla of the German Kriegsmarine. Haida managed to sink T29 in fearsome shellfire and managed to cripple T24, while the rest of the force managed to damage T27.

A few nights later, HMCS Athabaskan and Haida reengaged the remnants of the 4th Torpedo boat flotilla. Haida finished what she started by running T27 aground and lighting her ablaze with gunfire, but not before T24 scored a direct hit on Athabaskan with a torpedo salvo. In characteristic bravery – and against orders – DeWolf delved back into the inky night to rescue 44 of her sister ship’s crew.

Few months later, Haida found herself providing supporting fire on D-Day. Follow up to that, the 10th Destroyer Flotilla engaged the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, north of the landings. Haida contributed to sinking Z32. Actions such as this drove the German E-boat presence out of the sector, securing 10th Destroyer Flotilla dominance; now having free reign to seek and destroy axis shipping.

The following summer was fraught with activity. On a routine patrol on the 24th of June, reports directed Haida and HMS Eskimo towards an ongoing submarine hunt; dropping her own depth charges; she managed to scare out U-971, which attempted to flee until gunned down by the two destroyers. In Mid July, Haida and ORP Błyskawica intercepted a large German force; the two managed to sink 2 sub-chasers, 1 merchant ship, and lighting another 2 merchants on fire. In early August, Haida took part against another raid on a German convoy; contributing to sinking 4 enemy vessels. Unfortunately, enemy fire incapacitated a turret and their crew; forcing Haida to return to Halifax for a refit and retire from the theatre.

Haida returned to service back in Scapa Flow, and spent the last few months of the war on convoy and escort duties. Convoy RA 66 was the last official RCN engagement; as a contributor, Haida aided in the sinking of 2 U-boats. Back in Canada, she was undergoing tropicalization when Japan sued for peace, ending the War.

In 1947, Haida was reactivated and underwent a massive overhaul. Her armaments were replaced and she was ungraded with an entire suite of new radars and sonars, and she spent the late 1940s participating in a few naval exercises.

When the Korean War initiated in 1950, Haida returned to active surface. She was reclassified as a destroyer escort (pennant DDE 215) and underwent further refit of armaments and systems. With the work done in early 1952, she set sail for the Far East.

Her first duties in November encompassed shore patrol and aircraft carrier screening operations, which were uneventful. In December she spent her time on further shore patrols and shelling a coastal batteries and a railway yards near Songjin with USS Moore.

In her January patrols, Haida finally joined the “Trainbusters Club” when she destroyed a train north of Riwon. This was not an easy feat, as it required sniping the locomotive engine while the trains were darting between coastal tunnels at high speed. A second train fell to her guns in late May, as well as a drifting anti-ship mine. She left in June, returning to Halifax on July 1953.

Despite the formal declaration of a cease-fire, Haida returned to the theatre in February 1954 due to reports of infractions between China and North Korea, alongside the still uneasy tensions between the two Koreas. Spending a few months in patrol, she returned home on November 1954.

Following Korea, Haida spent the remainder of the decade on anti-submarine operations, hunting Soviet nuclear boats alongside other NATO forces all across the North Atlantic and West Indies. By now, her age began to show with a series of equipment failures that required almost annual refits. By 1963, her days were numbered.

Her final duties were to serve on public tours across the Great Lakes. One of the visitors was a man named Neil Bruce, a former RCN rating, who decided he would alter Haida’s fate. Alongside 4 other ratings, they formed HAIDA Inc. and won possession of the vessel with a $20,000 bid. After restoration, she was towed to Toronto Harbour where she served as an attraction starting in 1965. Due to financial difficulties, possession of Haida transferred to the provincial government in a bid of $1. She continued serving as an attraction until 2002, when she was purchased by Parks Canada and towed to her current home of Hamilton, Ontario. After a 5 million dollar refit, she currently serves her final role as a National Historic Site of Canada; preserving her story for generations of Canadians to come. And Canadians are not soon to forget her glory; as of February 2018 “Canada’s Fightingest Warship” has the distinction of serving as the ceremonial flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy.

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  Haida as she was during World War II.

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  Haida as a museum ship in Hamilton, Ontario.

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  A closer view of Haida's superstructure.

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  Haida's forward 102mm guns.

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  One of the ship's 76mm anti-aircraft gun mounts.