HMS Conflict was the lead ship of the Conflict-class destroyers built by J. Samuel White, at East Cowes, Isle of Wight for the Royal Navy.

[2] The Admiralty did not specify a standard design for destroyers, laying down broad requirements, including a trial speed of 27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h), a "turtleback"[a] forecastle and specified armament, which was to vary depending on whether the ship was to be used in the torpedo boat or gunboat role.

[17][18][19] In March 1913, Conflict was based at Portsmouth as a tender to the torpedo school HMS Vernon, and listed as in-commission, with a nucleus crew.

[21] By 1 November 1914, Conflict was still based at Portsmouth, one of six old destroyers, 17 torpedo boats and four submarines that made up the Local Defence Flotilla for the port.

[22] On 24 November 1914, following an attack by the German submarine SM U-21 on the steamer SS Malachite the previous day, Conflict and the torpedo boat TB 9 escorted a transport from Southampton to Le Havre.

The attacks by TB 98 and Conflict were judged by Naval Intelligence to be "improbable" to have been successful, although the commanding officers of the two ships were mentioned in dispatches.