During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, the ship enforced the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides as part of the Mediterranean Fleet.

The turbines developed a total of 34,000 shaft horsepower (25,000 kW) and were intended to give a maximum speed of 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph).

[2] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

She was laid down on 18 January 1936, launched on 30 December 1936,[6] as the seventh Royal Navy ship to carry this name,[7] and completed on 2 June 1937, at a contract price of £256,917, excluding items supplied by Admiralty such as armaments and communications equipment.

Off Duncansby Head during the night of 16 July 1940, Imogen collided with the light cruiser Glasgow in thick fog in the North Sea whilst bound for Scapa Flow.