The vessel was built by Philip and Son, Dartmouth and launched on 28 February 1955, and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Jackton.

During the mid-1960s, Teal was one of several ships operating in support of the Malaysian government during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation.

On 13 December 1964 HMAS Teal intercepted two Indonesian sampans off Raffles Light in the south western corner of the Singapore Strait.

Teal retaliated, killing three of the sampan's crew and the remainder of the enemy surrendered.

One was an officer of the Indonesian Navy and the sampan was found to be carrying a quantity of explosives, weapons and other military equipment.