Shortly after World War II began, she was badly damaged by the premature explosion of her own depth charges and required over six months of repairs.

Garland was then assigned to the Western Approaches Command, but carried emergency supplies to coastal towns in Belgium and the Netherlands immediately after the war ended in May.

Garland carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 5,530 nautical miles (10,240 km; 6,360 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Garland had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mk III machine gun.

[4] Most ships of Garland's class had the rear torpedo tubes replaced by a 12-pounder AA gun after the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940, but it is not known exactly when this modification was made.

The ship's director-control tower and rangefinder above the bridge were removed in exchange for a Type 271 target indication radar, after 1942, and 'B' gun was replaced by a Hedgehog anti-submarine spigot mortar.

[8] When World War II began, the ship was en route to Alexandria from Aden and arrived there on 6 September.

Whilst escorting a convoy to Malta, some of her depth charges detonated prematurely on 17 September and badly damaged the aft end of the ship.

[11] During Operation Hats, Garland was lightly damaged by Italian aircraft on 31 August whilst escorting a convoy to Malta.

On 13 November, Garland was badly damaged by storm whilst escorting the battleship Revenge and required over a month to make repairs.

[10] In late September, she joined the Polish-manned destroyer Piorun in Operation Halberd, escorting a large convoy to Malta.

The ship's fire-control director and rangefinder were destroyed and she was ordered to proceed independently to Murmansk for temporary repairs.

[13] Garland was assigned to the 8th Support Group after working up and escorted several small convoys transporting Allied troops to the Azores to build airbases after the Portuguese gave their consent in late September.

In May she was assigned to the 14th Destroyer Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet where she escorted convoys and supported Allied operations in the Aegean.

She was assigned to the 8th Destroyer Flotilla in the Western Approaches Command, but had barely finished working up when the war ended in May.

In early 1946, the ship patrolled Norwegian waters and then was assigned to the Polish Squadron at Rosyth through June.