She was temporarily deployed in the Red Sea during late 1935 during the Abyssinia Crisis, before returning to her duty station where she remained until mid-1939.

Delight 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).

[4] Delight was ordered on 2 February 1931 under the 1930 Naval Estimates and was laid down at the yards of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Scotstoun on 22 April 1931.

The ship was refitted at Portsmouth between 3 September and 25 October 1934 for service on the China Station with the 8th (later the 21st) Destroyer Flotilla and arrived there in January 1935.

As war with Germany loomed, Delight was assigned to the Mediterranean and departed 29 August 1939 in company with several of her sisters.

Delight supported the Allied troops on 27–28 May as they recaptured Narvik before she was sent to Bodø the next day to investigate reports of a German amphibious landing.

After departing Portland Harbour in daylight on 29 July, contrary to orders, the ship was detected by a Freya radar at Cherbourg and the Luftwaffe was alerted.

At 19:25 12 Ju 87s belonging to III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 led by Gruppenkommandeur Walter Enneccerus attacked Delight, which was by now some 20 miles (32 km) off Portland Bill.