When war broke out in September 1939, Jervis was under the command of Captain Philip Mack, and was leader of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla (DF) based in the Humber.

The first six months of hostilities was taken up with sweeps across the North Sea, in "appalling weather conditions" which saw the Flotilla suffer a succession of storm and collision damage.

During this time Jervis captured three blockade runners, one on the second day of the war, and helped search for the merchant ship SS City of Flint.

Jervis' pennant number changed to G00 around this time[1] In July, after working-up trials, she joined him in Malta, where he resumed command.

For the next two years Jervis saw action in a constant round of operations; sweeps along the coast, bombarding shore targets for the Army, protecting convoys to Malta, and screening major fleet movements.

Her Chaplain, George Sherlock, was awarded the DSC for "outstanding zeal, patience, and cheerfulness and for setting an example of wholehearted devotion to duty.

A Wellington bomber dropped flares and after a short battle lasting half an hour, the two Allied destroyers sank the Italian torpedo boat Castore.

Jervis was handed over to the British Iron and Steel Corporation for demolition in January 1949 and allocated to Arnott Young, arriving at Troon, on the Firth of Clyde for breaking up in September.

Supporting the landing with gunfire, Jervis and her sister ship, Janus, were attacked by enemy aircraft using Henschel Hs 293 glider bombs.

Both were hit; Janus’ forward magazine exploded, sinking her with the loss of nearly 160 of her crew; Jervis’ bow was blown off, but the destroyer was able to steam at about eight knots back to safety in Naples.