[2] The Tribals were designed to fight heavily armed destroyers of other navies, such as the Japanese Fubuki class.

[3] Canada chose the design based on its armament, with the size and power of the Tribal class allowing them to act more like small cruisers than as fleet destroyers.

Design modifications were made after deficiencies were noted in Iroquois, the lead ship of the Canadian Tribals.

[5] The destroyer was propelled by two shafts driven by two Parsons geared turbines powered by steam created by three Admiralty-type three drum boilers.

[3] As built, Iroquois was fitted with six quick firing QF 4.7-inch (120 mm)} Mk XII guns placed in three twin turrets, designated 'A', 'B' and 'Y' from bow to stern.

[2] Following her completion, Iroquois began sea trials, suffering storm damage near the Faroes, which included a bent keel and required repairs.

On 11 July, three Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors from Kampfgeschwader 40 attacked a troop transport convoy west of Oporto in the Bay of Biscay.

[2] On 19 July an event termed "incident" in official reports took place where according to the inquiry afterwards, a large section of the ship's company refused to perform their duties.

[11][12] Iroquois was among the destroyers deployed to cover escort forces attacking U-boats in the Bay of Biscay from 12 June to 2 August 1943.

From 1–11 October, Iroquois and the destroyers Huron and Onslaught transported supplies to Murmansk for the escorts that remained there in the summer.

[20] On 14 August, Iroquois joined the destroyer Ursa and cruiser Mauritius to attack a German force off Les Sables d'Olonne and sank Sperrbrecher 157; they also badly damaged M 275 and ran M 385 aground.

[19] The destroyer continued patrolling the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel until October 1944, when she transferred to Scapa Flow.

[31] On 2 October, Iroquois in concert with USS Marsh, was bombarding a rail line on the east coast southwest of Songjin when she was hit by a shell on the starboard side abreast of 'B' gun.

[33] Iroquois saw service screening the aircraft carrier HMS Glory and an inshore patrol on the west coast before sailing for Canada on 26 November.

[35] The destroyer supported the Island campaign in the Haeju area and performed screening missions with carriers off the west coast before the end of hostilities on 29 July 1953.

[36] Following the end of hostilities, Iroquois was deployed evacuating islands that had been handed back to North Korea in the armistice and completed the first post-armistice patrol.

Iroquois made one further post-Armistice patrol off the Korean coasts, departing Halifax on 1 July 1954 and arriving off Korea on 22 August.

[2][40] The ship's badge is described as a blazon or, the head of an Iroquois brave, couped at the base of the neck, properly coloured and wearing two eagle feathers in his hair and a gold ring pendant from the ear.

[1] During the Second World War and up to 1948 when official badges were created for the Royal Canadian Navy, Iroquois had an unofficial crest.