A full load of 301 long tons (306 t) of fuel oil was carried, which gave a design range of 2,750 nautical miles (5,090 km; 3,160 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[8] The ship was designed to mount two additional 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure but this required the forecastle plating to be cut away, causing excess water to come aboard at sea, so they were removed.

[10] One of nine of the class to be built by the shipyard, Searcher was laid down on 30 March 1918 by John Brown & Company in Clydebank with the yard number 479, launched on 11 September the following year and completed on 25 November, days after the Armistice that ended the First World War.

[13] The fleet was tasked with not simply helping to organise the evacuation of German forces from the country but also supporting the Estonian War of Independence.

[14] Searcher was sent as part of a detachment of ten destroyers under the command of Admiral Walter Cowan in the light cruiser Caledon.

[17] At the same time, the Royal Navy was returning to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and personnel needed to be reduced to save money.

[21] Between 5 and 30 April 1933, the destroyer, along with sister ship Shamrock visited Morocco and Spain, calling in at Casablanca, Cadiz, Bonanza, Seville and Tangier.

[23] Searcher accompanied the aircraft carrier on cruises around the Mediterranean Sea, visiting Kotor and Malta, before returning to Gibraltar on 16 March the following year.

[26] On 22 June 1935, Searcher arrived at Portsmouth ready to participate in a fleet review to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V. The event involved over 100 ships of the Royal Navy.

[28] Although based at Malta, the vessel accompanied Queen Elizabeth on visits to various Greek ports, including Crete on 22 October 1936.