Launched on 3 March 1916 by Hawthorn Leslie on the River Tyne, the vessel served as part of the Grand Fleet.

In this arena, Pigeon had some success in 1918, rescuing the survivors from the sinking troopship Tuscania in February and assisting in the destruction of the German U-boat UB-124 in July.

After the Armistice, the destroyer was redeployed to serve as part of the Nore Local Defence flotilla until being decommissioned and sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

296 long tons (301 t) of oil were carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[5] Pigeon was laid down by Hawthorn Leslie and Company of Hebburn on the River Tyne on 14 July 1915, launched on 3 March the following year and completed on 2 June.

The destroyers expended fifty depth charges, an unusually large amount for the time, damaging the submarine's batteries and driving the enemy vessel to the surface where it was abandoned and sunk.