HMS Cossack was a Tribal-class destroyer named after the Cossack people of the Eurasian steppe. She became famous for the boarding of the German supply ship Altmark in Norwegian waters, and the associated rescue of sailors originally captured by the Admiral Graf Spee. She was torpedoed by the German submarine U-563 on 23 October 1941, and sank four days later.
Cossack under way, 1938
Cossack returns to Leith on 17 February 1940, after rescuing the British prisoners held in Graf Spee's supply ship Altmark
Tribal-class destroyer (1936)
The Tribal class, or Afridi class, was a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II. Originally conceived during design studies for a light fleet cruiser, the Tribals evolved into fast, powerful destroyers, with greater emphasis on guns over torpedoes than previous destroyers, in response to new designs by Japan, Italy, and Germany. The Tribals were well admired by their crews and the public when they were in service due to their power, often becoming symbols of prestige while in service.
HMCS Haida, a Canadian Tribal-class destroyer and the only Tribal-class destroyer to be preserved
A twin Mk.XII mounting on HMS Javelin
Twin QF 4-inch Mk XVI naval guns of HMCS Haida
HMS Eskimo showing bow damage, Norway May 1940
