She was a member of the first subgroup of the Hunt class and served throughout World War II before being scrapped in 1957.

On active service, she first performed convoy escort duties in the North Sea from then to June 1941.

Cattistock conducted convoy escort duties off Normandy and switched to patrols against E-boat attacks in July 1944.

On 29 August 1944, she intercepted German naval forces attempting to escape Le Havre while patrolling with HMS Retalick.

In June 1957 she arrived at the breakers yard of John Cashmore Ltd at Newport, Wales for breaking up.