She was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company at their Newcastle upon Tyne shipyard, and was launched on 7 January 1913, being completed in June that year.

[1] Greater speed was wanted to match large fast destroyers building for foreign navies, while a larger radius of action was desired.

[13] At the outbreak of the First World War, Contest, along with the rest of the 4th Flotilla, joined the newly established Grand Fleet,[14] based at Scapa Flow.

[15] In February 1915, Contest was one of a number of Grand Fleet destroyers ordered to escort merchant ships carrying troops of the 1st Canadian Division from Avonmouth to St Nazaire.

[18] Contest took part in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May/1 June 1916, sailing as one of 19 ships of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla in support of the Grand Fleet.

[24][25][26] The flotilla's duties included countering German minelaying operations and protecting British minesweepers in the North Sea.

[27] In November 1916, the 4th Flotilla, including Contest, was sent to Portsmouth for anti-submarine operations in response to German submarine attacks in the Channel.

[31] On 16 December, the German submarine UB-38 attacked the British schooner Englishman off the coast of Cornwall, but was driven off by the armed yacht Venetia and a patrol vessel.

[35] On 18 September 1917, Contest was part of the escort of a America-bound convoy out of Plymouth, when the merchant ship City of Lincoln was hit by a torpedo at 17:45.

City of Lincoln remained afloat, and Contest was ordered to stay with the damaged ship until tugs arrived.

At 18:15, Contest was hit by a single torpedo which caused the destroyer's depth charges and then her aft magazine to explode, wrecking the stern of the ship.

With no steering, Contest then collided with City of Lincoln sustaining further damage, and began to slowly sink.