HMS Greyhound was a Hawthorn Leslie three-funnel, 30 knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1898 – 1899 Naval Estimates.

On 30 August 1912, the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by letters starting with 'A'.

After 30 September 1913, she was known as a C-class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.

From 22 August to 19 November 1915, along with Mermaid and Racehorse, she provided anti-submarine screen for several operations off the Belgian Coast.

In November 1916, she was redeployed to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla on the Humber performing anti-submarine patrols and counter-mining operations off the East Coast of England until the Armistice.