The Whitbys were designed as specialist anti-submarine warships, intended to counter fast modern diesel-electric submarines.

[14] Eastbourne carried the flag of Commodore, Fishery Protection Squadron (CFPS) in the First Cod War, off Iceland.

[15] The ship paid courtesy visits to its namesake town of Eastbourne on the south coast of England, and to Odense, Denmark, Stockholm, Sweden and Brest, France.

[citation needed] In June 1959, Eastbourne joined the 4th Frigate Squadron, serving in Home waters and the Mediterranean.

[18] During the subsequent repairs in Rosyth in 1977, a hull inspection found that Eastbourne was no longer fit for sea, though her machinery was still in good condition.

This enabled the apprentices to assist in operation of her machinery at full power, with the added benefit of churning the dockyard basin water up to improve its aeration.

In the 1980s, Eastbourne remained moored at Rosyth Dockyard alongside Duncan as harbour training ship for the marine engineering artificer apprentices of Caledonia.