The ship was named after the Battle of the Saintes, a Royal Navy victory over a French fleet intending to invade Jamaica in 1782.

[1] Saintes paid off on completion of the trials and was refitted with the conventional main armament of the class.

Apart from the four engine room staff killed in the original explosion all crew and passengers were rescued unharmed.

Saintes remained Captain of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron until she went for a major refit in 1956 at Rosyth when her crew transferred to her sister ship Armada.

At Rosyth Saintes became the training ship for Artificer Apprentices from the shore establishment Caledonia.