The Battle-class was developed as a result of operational experience in the early years of the Second World War, which had shown that the Royal Navy's existing destroyers had inadequate anti-aircraft protection, and in particular, lacked a modern dual-purpose main gun armament, capable of dealing with both surface targets and air attack, with guns lacking the high elevation mountings necessary to deal with dive bombers.

766 long tons (778 t) of fuel oil was carried, giving an endurance of 4,400 nmi (5,100 mi; 8,100 km) at 20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h).

[12][4] Completion was delayed by the late availability of equipment, and while she was commissioned on 4 September 1944, the ship's director control tower was not fitted, and she was not accepted into service until November that year.

[13] Following sea trials and workup of the ship, Barfleur underwent repair at Portsmouth in April 1945 before setting out for the Far East to join the 19th Destroyer Flotilla of the British Pacific Fleet.

[16][17] As such, she was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the official surrender on the deck of the US battleship USS Missouri on 2 September 1945.

[13] Barfleur returned to the United Kingdom with the rest of her flotilla in 1947, being placed into reserve at Portsmouth on 15 January that year.

[26] The destroyer was involved in the Suez War in 1956, taking part in the Allied landings in early November.