HMS Acasta was launched on the Clyde on 8 August 1929 and commissioned on 11 February 1930.

She wa lost on 8 June 1940 during the action against the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, and whilst escorting HMS Glorious. Glorious and her other escort, HMS Ardent, were also sunk.

Acasta proved to be a tough opponent for the larger German ships, laying smoke to hide Glorious and making repeated torpedo and gun attacks. She scored several gun hits and one torpedo hit the Scharnhorst, causing moderate damage. Acasta was finally sunk after roughly two hours of fighting; the battle flag of the Gneisenau was lowered to half mast and her crew brought to attention to honour the brave fight of Acasta and her crew. The damage to the German vessels inflicted by Ardent and Acasta caused them to retire to Trondheim, allowing the safe passage of convoys carried troops from Norwary.

Although many of her crew survived to abandon ship, communication errors meant the British were initially unaware of the sinking. In the end, there was only a single survivor from Acasta; estimates place the number of sailors from Ardent, Acasta and Glorious lost to exposure at up to 800. The single survivor from Acasta, Ldg. Seaman Cyril Carter, was rescued by the Norwegian steam merchantman Borgund which also saved 38 men from one of Glorious' lifeboats. All 39 men saved by Borgund were set ashore in the Faroe Islands on 14 June