"Thanet", "Thracian", "Scout", "Tenedos" and "Stronghold" were refitted for service in the Far East as local defense destroyers ("Sturdy", "Scimitar" and "Sardonyx" were intended to join them in 1939–40, thereby creating a full flotilla). "Sturdy", "Tenedos" and "Stronghold" were refitted as minelayers, their torpedo tubes and aft guns were replaced by stowage for 40 mines. "Tenedos" and "Stronghold" laid defensive minefields around Singapore and Malaya, 1939–41. At the outbreak of war with Japan, on 7 December 1941, "Tenedos" and "Stronghold" were at Singapore, while "Thanet", "Thracian" and "Scout" were at Hong Kong. "Scout" and "Thanet" were ordered to Singapore on 8 December 1941, while "Thracian" remained to take part in the defense of Hong Kong, and was scuttled on 19 December 1941. "Tenedos" formed part of Force Z during the ill-fated sortie 8–10 December 1941 in which and were sunk. "Thanet" and "Stronghold" were sunk during the fall of the Malay Barrier, January–March 1942, while "Scout" and "Tenedos" were assigned to the ABDA Western Striking Force, and escaped to Ceylon in March 1942 following the Japanese invasion of Java. "Tenedos" was later sunk by Japanese carrier aircraft at Colombo, 5 April 1942, while "Scout" remained in service in the Indian Ocean until December 1943; her refit at Bombay was abandoned as uneconomic and she was laid up at Trincomalee in June 1944 as an accommodation hulk; she was returned to UK in December 1945 and scrapped.