Launched on 16 August 1913 as HMS Havock, the ship was renamed on 30 September under an Admiralty order to become one of the first destroyers in a class named alphabetically.

[1][3] A total of 268 long tons (272 t) of oil was carried, giving a design range of 1,720 nautical miles (3,190 km; 1,980 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[3] Armament consisted of three QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft and one between the funnels.

[7] Originally named Havock, the destroyer was laid down by Yarrow at Scotstoun on the River Clyde on 28 June 1912 alongside the similar HMS Haughly and allocated the yard number 1333.

[13] Later that month, on 26 August, the flotilla was ordered to attack German torpedo boats on their patrol as part of a large Royal Navy fleet in what was to be the Battle of Heligoland Bight.

[14] On 28 August, the destroyer formed part of the second flotilla, led by sistership Lark, which attacked the German light cruisers Mainz and Strassburg.

However, the limitations of technology at the time, particularly the difficulty in hitting a lone target with unguided torpedoes and the lack of effective fire control for the guns, meant that the impact of the attack was small.

For example, on 20 March 1916, the destroyer formed part of the escort for four British minelayers, including HMS Princess Margaret, while also providing support for a bombing mission against the seaplane sheds at Zeebrugge.

[20] After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and personnel needed to be reduced to save money.