HMS Maori (F24)

Coordinates: 35°54′17″N 14°31′08″E / 35.90472°N 14.51889°E / 35.90472; 14.51889
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Maori.

Maori underway
History
United Kingdom
NameMaori
NamesakeMāori people
Ordered10 March 1936
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan
Cost£340,622
Laid down6 July 1936
Launched2 September 1937
Completed30 November 1938
Commissioned5 December 1938
IdentificationPennant numbers: L24/F24/G24
FateSunk by aircraft, 12 February 1942
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeTribal-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,891
    standard
    )
  • 2,519 long tons (2,559 t) (
    deep load
    )
Length377 ft (114.9 m) (o/a)
Beam36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Draught11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
Installed power
  • 3 ×
    Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • 44,000 
    kW
    )
Propulsion2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement190
Sensors and
processing systems
ASDIC
Armament
  • 4 × twin
    4.7 in (120 mm) guns
  • 1 × quadruple
    AA guns
  • 2 × quadruple
    anti-aircraft machineguns
  • 1 × quadruple
    torpedo tubes
  • 20 × depth charges, 1 × rack, 2 × throwers

HMS Maori was a Tribal-class destroyer named after the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand. She served with the United Kingdom Mediterranean Fleet during World War II until she was bombed and sunk by German aircraft while at Malta in 1942. Her wreck was later raised and scuttled outside the Grand Harbour. The wreck is now a dive site.

Description

The Tribals were intended to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to improve the firepower of the existing destroyer

kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[3] During her sea trials Maori made 36.0 knots (66.7 km/h; 41.4 mph) from 46,006 shp (34,307 kW) at a displacement of 2,006 long tons (2,038 t).[5] 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).[4] 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.[6]

The primary armament of the Tribal-class destroyers was eight

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.[8]

The ships were fitted with a single above-water quadruple mount for

ASDIC, one depth charge rack and two throwers for self-defence, although the throwers were not mounted in all ships;[9] Twenty depth charges was the peacetime allotment, but this increased to 30 during wartime.[10]

Wartime modifications

Heavy losses to German air attack during the

mainmast was reduced to a short pole mast.[12]

Construction and career

Authorized as one of seven Tribal-class destroyers under the 1935 Naval Estimates,

Admiralty.[17]

Maori joined

Norwegian Campaign. In June she sailed to Iceland looking for German warships and also served briefly in the Faroe Islands.[18]

In May 1941, she participated in the pursuit and destruction of the German battleship Bismarck. While escorting Convoy WS-8B to the Middle East, Maori, along with the destroyers Cossack, Sikh and Zulu broke off on 26 May and headed towards the area where Bismarck had been reported. They found her that evening and made several torpedo attacks in the evening and into the next morning. No hits were scored but they kept her gunners from getting any sleep, making it easier for the battleships to attack her the next morning. Maori then rescued some of the survivors from Bismarck after the battleship sank.[19]

HMS Maori sinking in Grand Harbor, February 12, 1942

She served with the 14th Destroyer Flotilla during the Battle of Cape Bon in December 1941.[20] Maori, commanded by Commander R. E. Courage, RN, was attacked by German aircraft and sunk at her moorings in the Malta Grand Harbour on 12 February 1942, with the loss of one of her crew; she was raised and scuttled off Fort Saint Elmo on 15 July 1945.

Wreck

Wreck of HMS Maori
aft section of the ship having been abandoned in deep water during the tow from Grand Harbour to Marsamxett Harbour
. Much of the forward superstructure is extant, including the two front gun bases. Much marine life can be found on the wreck.

Notes

  1. ^ Lenton, p. 164
  2. ^ English, p. 14
  3. ^ a b Lenton, p. 165
  4. ^ a b English, p. 12
  5. ^ March, p. 322
  6. ^ a b Whitley, p. 99
  7. ^ Hodges, pp. 13–25
  8. ^ Friedman, p. 32
  9. ^ Hodges, pp. 30–31, 40
  10. ^ English, p. 15
  11. ^ Friedman, p. 34; Hodges, pp. 41–42
  12. ^ Whitley, p. 116
  13. ^ Brice, p. 11
  14. ^ Colledge & Warlow, p. 215
  15. ^ English, p. 16
  16. ^ The Times (London), 3 September 1937, p. 6
  17. ^ Brice, p. 157; English, pp. 13, 16
  18. ^ "HMS Maori". Subway Dive Centre. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  19. ^ The Times (London), 28 May 1941, p. 4
  20. ^ The Times (London), 15 December 1941, p. 3

References

External links

35°54′17″N 14°31′08″E / 35.90472°N 14.51889°E / 35.90472; 14.51889

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