The destroyer assisted in the rescue of the crew of the flotilla leader Hoste in 1916, laying down fuel oil on the sea in an attempt to create a calm enough environment to evacuate the sinking ship.

[1] The M class was an improved version of the earlier L-class, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured new German fast destroyers.

The remit was to have a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) and, although ultimately the destroyers fell short of that ambition in service, the extra performance that was achieved was valued by the navy.

Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtiss steam turbines built by Beardmore and rated at 27,800 shaft horsepower (20,700 kW).

[4] A total of 228 long tons (232 t) of oil was carried to give a design range of 2,530 nautical miles (4,690 km; 2,910 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

During the exercise, the flotilla leader Hoste suffered a mechanical failure and hit the destroyer Negro, crippling both so that they needed to be evacuated.

[16] On 16 November, the destroyer was deployed as part of the flotilla in response to the sortie of the German minesweepers, forming a screen to the First Battle Squadron.

[19] After the Armistice that ended the war in 1918, 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.