She was laid down at Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees on 19 July 1941 and launched on 18 December 1941.

She was adopted by the civil community of Letchworth in Hertfordhsire as part of Warship Week in 1942.

[1] Spey was initially assigned to Western Approaches Command for convoy defence duties.

[1] In December 1942 she was deployed to the Mediterranean for convoy defence and support of the landings in Italy, code-named Operation Torch.

Following refit she sailed for Ceylon and by the end of 1944 was deployed for convoy defence and support of operations in Burma.