Daring carried a maximum of 473 long tons (481 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 5,870 nautical miles (10,870 km; 6,760 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[3] Daring was ordered on 2 February 1931 under the 1930 Naval Estimates, and was laid down at John I Thornycroft's yard at Woolston, Southampton on 18 June 1931.

[4] Lord Louis Mountbatten assumed command on 29 April 1934,[5] and Daring was given a refit at Sheerness Dockyard from 3 September to 24 October to prepare the ship for service on the China Station.

[6][7] The ship and her sisters Duncan, Diana, and Dainty were transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet shortly before World War II began in September 1939.

The ship escorted the Union-Castle Line ocean liner SS Dunnottar Castle to Belfast in early 1940 and was under repair at Portsmouth until 25 January.

One officer (Lawrence Andrew Rogers RN) and three ratings were picked up from a Carley float by the destroyer Inglefield and landed at Scapa Flow on 20 February.