Named after the character in the poem Marmion, the ship was originally to be called HMS Malice but was renamed prior to being launched on 9 October 1915.

The destroyer joined the Harwich Force and took part in anti-submarine patrols, as well as escorting the monitors Erebus and Terror for their attacks on the canal gates at Zeebrugge and the port of Ostend in 1917.

[1] The design followed the preceding Acasta class but with improved seakeeping properties and armament, including twice the number of torpedo tubes.

[4] A total of 268 long tons (272 t) of oil was carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[8] The vessel was equipped with a more advanced Barr and Stroud fire-control system than the majority of the class, modelled on that for the contemporary Admiralty M-class destroyers.

[14][15] During the following year, the destroyer formed part of the escort for the monitors Erebus and Terror for their attacks on the canal gates at Zeebrugge on 12 May and the port of Ostend on 5 June.

[17] 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.