Rodgers, recommissioned 18 December 1939, again served briefly with the Atlantic Fleet, and in October 1940 moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia where she joined other destroyers being transferred to the United Kingdom in exchange for bases in the Western Hemisphere.

Diverted en route, she participated in the search for survivors of ships lost from convoy HX 84 and in the subsequent hunt for the German cruiser Admiral Scheer, when returning to Canada for repairs.

On 18 November, she arrived at Belfast, continued on to Portsmouth, from where, after overhaul, she sailed to join the 12th Escort Group, Western Approaches Command at Londonderry Port.

In February and March, she accompanied carriers during trials, and, after another yard period, April to August, served as a target ship for training aircraft from the Royal Naval Air Station at Fearn, Scotland.

Worn out, she was taken out of active service at Chatham, stripped of usable parts and ordnance and towed to the Humber where she was beached in shallow water for use as an aircraft target.