HMS Patrol was one of two Pathfinder-class scout cruisers which served built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

After the beginning of the First World War in August 1914, she was assigned to coastal defence duties on the East Coast of England.

The engines were designed to produce a total of 16,500 indicated horsepower (12,300 kW) which was intended to give a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph).

[2] The Pathfinder-class cruisers carried enough coal to give them a range of 3,400 nautical miles (6,300 km; 3,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

[7] At the beginning of the First World War in August, the 9th DF was protecting the north east coastline between the Firth of Forth and the Tyne.

[9] At 08:00 the flotilla sighted the German battlecruisers Seydlitz and Moltke and the armoured cruiser Blücher, preparing to bombard Hartlepool.

The heavy German ships chased off the hopelessly outgunned destroyers and opened fire on Hartlepool's two coastal artillery batteries, which mounted three 6-inch (152 mm) guns, before bombarding the port and harbour entrance.

Bruce attempted to leave the harbour, but was engaged by Blücher in the channel to the open sea and hit by two 210-millimetre (8.3 in) shells.