Laverock served through the First World War, operating with the Harwich Force and in the English Channel.

The British Admiralty ordered 20 L-class (later to become the Laforey-class) destroyers as part of the 1912–1913 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy.

The machinery was rated at 24,500 shaft horsepower (18,300 kW), giving a design speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph).

[4] On commissioning Laverock joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, part of the Harwich Force, which was under the overall command of Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt.

[4][11] On 2 November 1914, Laverock accompanied the light cruiser Aurora and the destroyers Lark and Lawford on an anti-submarine patrol in the area of the Broad Fourteens.

[26][27][d] On the night of 24/25 February 1917, Laverock was one of five destroyers (the others were Lance, Landrail, Lochinvar and Laurel) patrolling the Dover Straits to guard against attack by German torpedo boats, while further forces of destroyers and cruisers were on standby in the Downs and at Dover.

That night, German torpedo boats a raid against the Dover Barrage and Allied shipping in the Dover Straits, with one flotilla attacking the Barrage and a half flotilla of torpedo boats operating off the Kent coast.

Laverock set out in pursuit of the German ships, which broke contact and returned to base, their commander believing that he was engaged with several destroyers and that his planned raid on Dover was no longer possible.

[29][30] The second German group of five torpedo boats, was spotted near the North entrance to the Downs, and shelled Margate and Westgate-on-Sea prior to returning to base.