After rectification of defects found during the ship's sea trials, "Oakley" sailed for Scapa Flow in the Orkneys on 22 June 1942, and took part in escorting a minelaying operation and in a diversion operation intended to distract German attentions from the Arctic Convoy PQ 17. After completion of these operations, "Oakley" completed working up her crew, becoming a part of the Orkney and Shetland Command, where her main duties consisted of escorting convoys to and from the Faroe Islands. In September 1942, the Royal Navy sailed the next major supply convoy to the Soviet Union, Convoy PQ 18, and "Oakley" was again involved in support operations for the convoy. It was decided to set up a temporary refueling base for the convoy's escorts at Lowe Sound, Spitsbergen, with "Oakley" part of the escort for the oilers that carried out these refueling operations. On 17 November 1942, the westbound convoy QP 15 sailed from Archangelsk in Northern Russia, with "Oakley" joining the escort of the Loch Ewe bound convoy on 23 November, continuing with the convoy, which was heavily disrupted by storms, until it reached Scotland.