[1] Southwold was ordered on 20 December 1939, and was built by J. Samuel White and Company of East Cowes as part of the 1939 emergency program.

On 20 March 1942, she carried out an anti-submarine sweep along planned path for Malta relief convoy MW10 along with some other destroyers.

On 24 March, Southwold was attempting to pass a line to Breconshire when she activated a British mine and there was an explosion in which an officer and four ratings were killed .

She sustained major structural damage and the engine room flooded while electrical supplies failed.

[3] The wreck of Southwold lies in two sections about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of Marsaskala Bay, Malta.