[1] She served in the Mediterranean between 1902 and 1906, and was used for patrol and escort duties during the First World War Locust was ordered on 23 December 1896 as the third of six 30-knotter destroyers programmed to be built by Lairds under the 1895–1896 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy.

Like the other Laird-built 30-knotters, Locust was propelled by two triple expansion steam engines, fed by four Normand boilers, rated at 6,300 ihp (4,700 kW), and was fitted with four funnels.

[7] Locust was laid down at Laird's Birkenhead shipyard as Yard number 623 on 20 April 1894 and was launched on 5 December 1896, when she was named by Miss Busk.

[12] A mere week into her commission, she had her stem damaged while in the Falmouth harbour when the destroyer Fairy dragged her moorings and drifted into Locust and other ships of the flotilla.

[2] On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on contract speed and appearance.

[23][24] Locust remained part of the Seventh Patrol Flotilla in August 1914,[25][26] which transferred to the Humber on the East coast of England following the outbreak of the First World War.