[1] The Hunts were meant to fill the Royal Navy's need for a large number of small destroyer-type vessels capable of both convoy escort and operations with the fleet.

[3] Beaufort was laid down at Cammell-Laird's Birkenhead, shipyard on 17 July 1940 and was launched on 9 June 1941, and was completed on 3 November that year.

[13] On 12 February 1942, Beaufort left Alexandria as part of the escort of eight destroyers and one anti-aircraft cruiser[c] for the three fast merchant ships of Malta-bound Convoy MW.9.

The convoy came under air attack on 13 February, and one of the merchant ships, Clan Campbell was hit and damaged, and forced to divert to Tobruk.

Heavy air attacks and the appearance of the Italian battle fleet forced Vigorous to be abandoned, with the convoy turning back to Egypt, with losses of the cruiser Hermione, the destroyers Airedale, Hasty and Nestor, and two merchant ships.

[20][21] On the night of 11/12 July, Beaufort, together with Dulverton, Eridge and Hurworth, bombarded the Italian-held port of Mersa Matruh, sinking the cargo ship Sturla, which had been driven out of harbour by an attack by Fleet Air Arm Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers.

[22][23] On 13–15 September 1942, Beaufort took part in Operation Agreement, an unsuccessful raid against Tobruk in which the cruiser Coventry and the destroyers Sikh and Zulu were lost.

[37] On 31 October 1951 Beaufort was loaned for a four-year period to the Royal Norwegian Navy, and after a refit, entered service with the new name Haugesund.

[13] In 1954 she was fitted with lattice masts and two Squid Anti-submarine mortars in place of the 'X' gun turret on the aft of the ship.