HMS Erne was a Palmer Type River Class Destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1901 – 1902 Naval Estimates.

After 30 September 1913, she was known as an E Class destroyer and had the letter "E" painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.

Soon after the commencement of hostilities she was deployed to the Scapa Flow Local Flotilla under the command of the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet tendered to HMS King George V. Her duties here included counter mining patrols and antisubmarine measures in defence of the Fleet anchorage.

[5] On 6 February 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Commander John Landon, RN during a severe easterly gale, Erne was driven ashore on the North Sea coast of Scotland northeast of Aberdeenshire, 800 yards (730 meters) south of Rattray Head lighthouse, with no lives lost.

After a survey in November 1915, it was discovered that her back was broken, and she was sold for £405 to Forth Shipbreaking, Bo’ness, Scotland, in January 1916 for breaking.