301 long tons (306 t) of oil could be carried, giving a range of 2,750 nautical miles (5,090 km; 3,160 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[13] In December 1933, it was announced that Tenedos would transfer from reserve at Portsmouth to Devonport, where she would serve as spare emergency destroyer.

[10][17][18] In August 1939, Tenedos, along with sister ships Scout, Thanet and Thracian, formed a local defence flotilla at Hong Kong.

[19] When the two destroyers arrived at Singapore on 28 August, they were quickly converted to minelayers,[20] which involved removal of one 4 inch gun and the torpedo tubes to accommodate 40 mines.

[22] On 23 March 1940, the Royal Navy formed Malaya Force, with the intention of preventing German merchant ships from leaving harbours in the Dutch East Indies.

[26][27] At about 18:30 hr on 9 December, Tenedos, now short of fuel, was released from Force Z, and set out to return to Singapore, with orders to make radio contact with base at 08:00 the next morning telling Singapore of the planned course of Force Z, while the main fleet maintained radio silence.

[34] Tenedos and the Australian cruiser Hobart left Singapore, threatened by advancing Japanese forces, for Batavia on 2 February.

A RCAF Catalina flying boat spotted the Japanese fleet 350 miles south-east of Ceylon on 4 April and radioed a sighting report before being shot down.

Thus warned, all shipping in Colombo and Trincomalee harbours was ordered to leave port and disperse to avoid the impending Japanese attack.

[40][41] Tenedos, however, was under repair in Colombo harbour and unable to leave, and was sunk with the loss of 33 officers and men by Japanese bombers when they attacked on 5 April.