Retriever was one of three R-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty from Thornycroft of Woolston, Southampton, in July 1915 as part of the Sixth War Construction Programme.

A total of 296 long tons (301 t) of fuel oil was carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

[11] The destroyer was subsequently equipped to tow a lighter which carried a seaplane, but a lack of wind meant that operations were curtailed at the first attempt to launch the aircraft on 10 August.

[12] After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and the amount of personnel in service needed to be reduced to save money.

[13] Placed in reserve, Retriever was allocated to the Home Fleet, serving under the dreadnought battleship King George V.[14] However, in 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels.