The ship was launched in 1916 and served with the Grand Fleet of the Royal Navy during World War I as in an escort and anti-submarine role.

Radstock was originally ordered by the British Admiralty in May 1915 as part of the Sixth War Construction Programme as one of eighteen M-class destroyers.

Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at 27,000 shp (20,000 kW) and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).

[5] Armament consisted of three QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the second and third funnels.

[6] Radstock was laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend on the River Tyne on 5 September 1915 with yard number 1005 and launched on 8 June 1916.

The vessel was found jointly culpable for a collision with the merchant ship Volute, which was leading a convoy that Radstock and sistership Undine were escorting, on 12 April 1918.

[15] In 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers, up to and including some of the R-class, in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels.