[3][b] Gabriel was propelled by three sets of Parsons steam turbines, fed by four Yarrow three-drum boilers, rated at 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW), which gave a speed of 34 kn (39 mph; 63 km/h).

[1][3] Up to 515 tons of oil fuel could be carried, giving a range of 4,290 nautical miles (7,950 km; 4,940 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

As part of these operations, Gabriel and sister ship Marksman patrolled the Fair Isle channel between the Orkneys and Shetland Islands from 11 to 13 July.

[7] In October 1917, Gabriel formed part of a large-scale operation, involving 30 cruisers and 54 destroyers deployed in eight groups across the North Sea in an attempt to stop a suspected sortie by German naval forces, with Gabriel (along with Petard, Norseman and Urchin) joining up with the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron on 17 October.

Despite these countermeasures, the two German light cruisers Bremse and Brummer managed to evade the patrols and attacked the regular convoy between Norway and Britain on 17 October, sinking nine merchant ships and two destroyers, Mary Rose and Strongbow before returning safely to Germany.

[16] Duties including laying minefields to restrict the operations of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and to protect the anchorages used by the British.

[22] On 23 August 1919, Gabriel arrived at Queenstown in Ireland for laying up with defective boiler tubes,[16] being relieved in the 20th Flotilla by Seymour.