The ship was ordered on 11 August 1937 from HM Dockyard Devonport, with engines supplied by Barclay Curle.

She served as a minesweeper in the North Sea until February 1941, when she transferred to Harwich for operations in the Thames Estuary.

The convoy was sighted by the U-354 on 30 December and the German cruisers Admiral Hipper and Lützow, accompanied by six destroyers, sailed from Altenfjord to intercept them in Operation Regenbogen, leading to the Battle of the Barents Sea.

[2] On 31 December Bramble, which had been detached to search for stragglers, was returning to the convoy when she encountered Admiral Hipper and three destroyers.

Bramble returned fire but was overwhelmed and finally sunk with all hands by the destroyer Friedrich Eckoldt at 73°18′N 30°06′E / 73.300°N 30.100°E / 73.300; 30.100.