HMS Nubian (1909)

HMS Nubian aground on the South Foreland after her bows had been blown off in October 1916
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Nubian
Builder:	John I. Thornycroft & Company
Launched:	20 April 1909
Fate:	Torpedoed 27 October 1916; undamaged stern joined with bow of HMS Zulu and renamed HMS Zubian
General characteristics
Class and type:	Tribal-class destroyer
Length:	255 ft (77.7 m)
Beam:	25 ft 6 in (7.8 m)
Draught:	8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Speed:	33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h)

HMS Nubian was a Royal Navy Tribal-class destroyer. She was launched in 1909 and torpedoed in 1916. With her bows blown off, the wreck was used to create a new ship by joining the bows of another destroyer of the same class, HMS Zulu. The resulting ship was given the portmanteau name HMS Zubian. She went on to sink the U-boat UC-50 in 1918 and was scrapped in 1919.

Nubian was launched on 20 April 1909, her keel plate having been laid down on 18 May 1908 at the Thornycroft yard in Woolston, Southampton. The ship was commissioned for service in the First Destroyer Flotilla by Commander Colin McKenzie at Sheerness on 3 September 1909. Powered by oil-fired steam turbines producing a total of around 15,500 horsepower, she replaced a River-class destroyer in the flotilla.Steam trials had taken place at the mouth of the Thames in June of that year.

A 280-foot (85 m) long, four-funnelled triple-screwed ship with a beam of 26.5 feet (8.1 m), the Nubian displaced slightly under 1000 tons and had a crew of 70. She could sail at 33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h) and had a pair of BL 4-inch (102 mm) guns, one mounted at the fore and one aft, as well as two torpedo tubes.

The First Destroyer Flotilla was based at Harwich with the purpose of defending Britain's east coast. It was planned to include 12 ocean-going destroyers capable of 33 kn. Within a month of commissioning, the Nubian had taken part in exercises at the Cromarty Firth with ships including the Saracen, Mohawk and Ghurka.