During the Second World War she reverted to her designed role, serving in home waters on patrol and convoy escort duties. In early 1940 Codrington played a minor role during the Norwegian campaign and then the German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May. The ship evacuated over 5,000 troops from Dunkirk and other French ports (Operation Cycle and Operation Aerial) before the French surrender of 22 June. She resumed her earlier duties later that month before being bombed and sunk on 27 July at Dover. Her wreck was partially salvaged during the war and completed several years later after the war. HMS Codrington was ordered on 6 March 1928 from Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, under the 1927 Naval Estimates. The ship was laid down at the shipyard in Wallsend, on 20 June 1928 and launched on 8 August 1929. Commissioned on 4 June 1930, she has thus far been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Codrington.[9][10] Four days later the ship began to evacuate troops from Dunkirk. The morning of 28 May, with the destroyers Jaguar and Javelin, she rescued 33 survivors from the torpedoed Belgian coaster SS Abukir and transferred them to the destroyer Grenade. Codrington took on 866 men from Dunkirk harbour and transported them to Dover. She made a second trip on 29 May, embarking 766 troops, and a third on 30 May, embarking 799 troops. A fourth trip followed on 31 May, when she loaded 909 men, together with other vessels. 1 June saw her taking 746 troops back to Dover, including Major-General (later Field Marshal) Bernard Montgomery. On 2 June the ship brought 878 troops back to the UK and her final run the next day saw only 44 men evacuated.[33][34] ↑ "The Services: Royal Navy: New Destroyers". The Times. No. 47701. 3 June 1937. p. 9. Naval Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence (2000). The Evacuation from Dunkirk: Operation Dynamo, 26 May-4 June 1940. Naval Staff Histories. Vol. 3. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-8150-4. Thomas, Steve (May 2024). "Follow Up: Destroyer Rescues at Dunkirk – The Salvage of HMS Codrington". Marine News (Warships Supplement). 78:5 (214): S258–S263. ISSN 0966-6958. Winser, John de S. (1999). B.E.F. Ships before, at and after Dunkirk. World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-91-6.