At the end of 1941, "Vendetta" was docked for refit in Singapore, but after the Japanese invaded, the destroyer had to be towed to Fremantle, then Melbourne. After the refit, which converted the destroyer into a dedicated escort vessel, ended in December 1942, "Vendetta" spent the rest of World War II operating as a troop and convoy escort around Australia and New Guinea. "Vendetta" was decommissioned in late 1945, and was scuttled off Sydney Heads in 1948.