She served with distinction during World War II, earning two battle honours and damaging or sinking three enemy submarines.

Lieutenant Commander Donald's replacement as captain was found to be missing on the second day of the Dunkirk evacuation, and the crew searched the entire vessel for him without result.

On 21 September 1941, depth charges from Vimy damaged the Italian Marconi-class submarine Luigi Torelli, which was attempting to attack Convoy HG 73, west of Gibraltar.

On 3 September 1942, depth charges from the British destroyers Vimy, Pathfinder and Quentin sank the German submarine U-162 in the mid-Atlantic north-east of Trinidad, in position 12°21′N 59°29′W / 12.350°N 59.483°W / 12.350; -59.483.

On 4 February 1943, Vimy and the destroyer Beverley, using HF/DF, located U-187, which was shadowing Convoy SC 118 in the North Atlantic, south of Greenland at the exit of the Baffin Bay.

Her commanding officer, Lt Cdr R B Stannard VC, received a DSO for Vimy's contribution to breaking up the U-boat pack hunting SC 118.