[1] After the outbreak of the Second World War, Æger formed part of the Norwegian 2nd Naval District's 2nd Destroyer Division,[4] covering an area roughly the same as the Vestlandet and Trøndelag regions.

[6] Although the situation was unclear the Norwegian destroyer's commander, Captain Niels Larsen Bruun, decided to take Roda as a prize.

After the German crew had abandoned their ship, Æger fired twenty-five 10 cm cold rounds (without explosives) into each side of the vessel, sinking her in deep waters.

However, while trying to avoid an attack by three aircraft all from different directions Æger was hit amidships by a 250 kg bomb, tearing up the deck of the destroyer and blowing out the sides of the ship.

Seven crew members were killed outright, one mortally and three lightly wounded, with the ship being left dead in the water.

[9] As seven more German aircraft continued to attack the crippled destroyer another bomb hit the mast, leaving it bent out of shape but bouncing off into the sea without exploding.