[1] The T-class were War Emergency Programme destroyers, intended for general duties, including use as anti-submarine escort, and were to be suitable for mass-production.

615 tons of oil were carried, giving a range of 4,675 nautical miles (5,380 mi; 8,658 km) at 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h).

At the same time, the relatively recent War Emergency destroyers, with their low-angle guns and basic fire control systems, were considered unsuitable for modern warfare, so it was decided to convert these obsolete destroyers into fast escorts, acting as a stop-gap solution until new-build ships, such as the Type 12 frigates could be built in sufficient numbers.

[17] On the night of 12/13 February 1944, Termagant and sister ship Troubridge shelled Vela Luka in Croatia and on 6/7 April bombarded Bar, Montenegro.

[17] On 19 May, the German submarine U-453 attacked a convoy off the heel of Italy, sinking the merchant ship Fort Missanabie.

[19][20][21] On 15 August 1944, Termagant took part in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of Southern France, providing fire support for the landings.

[17] In September 1944, Germany started to evacuate its troops from islands in the Aegean and from southern Greece, and in response, the British launched an offensive to disrupt the evacuation, with the Royal Navy deploying a task force consisting of seven escort carriers, supported by cruisers and destroyers, with the force including Termagant.

[25][26] On 19 October Termagant and Tuscan intercepted and sank the German torpedo boat TA18 (formerly the Italian Solferino) off Volos.

[28] On 14–15 June, Termagant formed part of the escort for the aircraft carrier Implacable for Operation Inmate, an attack on the Japanese base at Truk Atoll intended to provide combat experience for Implacable's crew ahead of operations off Japan.

In August 1951, she was towed to Grayson & Rollo's Birkenhead yard from conversion to a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate.

[35] On 26 September 1957 Termagant returned to the reserve at Devonport, being replaced by the Type 14 frigate Blackwood in the 3rd Submarine Flotilla.