[1] A vessel of the F-group of the 250t class, Smeul was built by Ganz & Danubius at Fiume and nearby Porto Re, along with the rest of her group, between October 1913 and December 1916.

[6] While fighting on the Axis side during World War II, she was involved in the minelaying operation of the Bulgarian coast in October 1941[7] and escorted the Romanian minelayers Amiral Murgescu and Dacia when they laid mines near Odessa in June 1942.

[9][10] On 11–13 December 1942, under the command of Captain Dumitru Mitescu, Smeul escorted the Axis transport ships Tzar Ferdinand and Oituz along the Romanian coast, along with four German R-boats.

In the morning of 13 December, the convoy was attacked by the Soviet destroyer Soobrazitelny and four Fugas-class minesweepers.

The exchange of fire lasted for two hours, until Smeul launched a smokescreen which enabled the four R-boats to simulate a torpedo attack, causing the Soviet warships to retreat.