In February 1939, HMS AFRIDI led SIKH and the rest of the flotilla to Gibraltar for exercises followed by individual cruises. On 21st March, SIKH sailed to Cartagena, Spain to embark refugees from the Spanish Civil War. HMS SIKH, HMS GURKHA, HMS AFRIDI and HMS MOHAWK were patrolling in the Red Sea when war broke out. The ships quickly returned back to the Mediterranean for convoy escort duty and blockades. After a short operational period, SIKH was ordered back to home waters but a broken turbine interrupted her departure from Malta. Eventually, the Tribal made it home by 26th December and after a quick refit, she joined the 4th DF in 1940. Anti-submarine patrols, fleet sweeps and convoy escorts occupied SIKH for the next few months. By March, the Tribal found herself involved with the Norwegian campaign. At Nasmos Norway, SIKH and her sister Tribals were attacked from the air almost continuously and usually at meal times. As soon as she returned to Scapa Flow, Scotland, SIKH was detailed for the evacuation of Allied trops from Central Norway at the beginning of May. She then accompanied the 6th DF when they embarked troops in the Andalsnes area of Norway.
More turbine trouble developed, so it was off to Alexander Stephan's Yard at Govan for repairs and refit. Routine screening, North Sea patrols and anti-invasion exercises followed and continued through the autumn and winter months. SIKH escorted convoys in the Western Approaches and protected the capital ships of the Home Fleet in northern waters. It was mostly monotonous work in filthy weather but there were some notable incidents. SIKH escorted one East Coast convoy from the Forth River to the Thames River during the Battle of Britain and without any air or sea attacks. The night of 16/17th October was also eventful when SIKH narrowly avoided following HMS FAME and HMS ASHANTI onto the beach at Whitburn, England. On 21st May 1941, SIKH, HMS COSSACK, HMS MAORI and HMS ZULU left the Clyde River to escort another troop convoy through the Western Approaches. Enroute, these ships were detached to screen Home Fleet capital ships which were attacking the German battleship BISMARCK. The 4th DF witnessed the destruction of BISMARCK at dawn on 27th May. After undergoing two more refits, SIKH helped to escort HMS NELSON back to the UK. The battleship had been temporarily repaired following a torpedo hit during the Halherd Malta convoy.
SIKH rejoined Force H at Gibraltar taking part in various sweeps and exercises. Ordered to reinforce the 14th DF, SIKH, MAORI, and HMS ISAAC SWEERS, they proceeded eastward and off Cape Bon, Tunisia they sank the Italian cruisers ALBERICO BARBIANO and ALBERTO DI GIUSSANO. After calling at Malta, SIKH and MAORI took part in the First Battle of Sirte, then arrived at Alexandria, Egypt on 18/19th December. It was then decided that SIKH and MAORI should return to Malta, join ZULU and form the 22nd DF. This would act as a strike force against Axis supply convoys between Italy and North Africa.
On 12/13th September, SIKH and ZULU were supporting an assault off the coast of Africa. While picking up troops in boats at 0505, a searchlight on shore suddenly lit up SIKH. Quickly, ZULU moved away, then came in bow first into the searchlight. Shore batteries opened fire. One 88mm shell exploded in SIKH'S Gear Room, damaging the lubrication feed system and the steering gear. A second hit forward, blew up the ready-use ammunition locker for 'A' gun and started a fierce fire that killed, burned, or disabled all of the Royal Marines who had just been picked up. It also trapped more Royal Marines who had been waiting in the messdecks. Emergency damage control and first aid parties rescued the wounded, flooded 'A' and 'B' magazines, and dealt with the blaze.
SIKH was steaming in circles at 10 knots and getting slower. A third shell struck her range finder director and from then on, all her guns had to fire under local control. As SIKH came to a stop, Captain Micklethwait, SIKH'S Commanding Officer, ordered all Royal Navy Forces to leave the area while ZULU towed SIKH away from danger. While under tow, a forth shell hit the unlucky destroyer setting off the charges around SIKH'S 'Y' mounting. This started another bad fire aft while a fifth shell struck 'B' mounting killing the gun crew. Others took up their places and the guns continued firing. During the shelling, the towline broke and Zulu made attempts to get a heaving line to SIKH. Captain Micklethwait, went forward to supervise the towing preparations on the fo'c'sle when a sixth shell smashed the bridge. It was now broad daylight and the two ships were getting underway when another 88mm shell hit the towline and severed it. There was no hope of saving SIKH. ZULU laid a smokescreen around SIKH and tried to come in to take SIKH'S crew. It was too dangerous. ZULU was ordered away.
Shells continued to hit SIKH but her 'X' gun kept firing until the ammunition in the ready use locker was exhausted. Captain Micklethwait fired the scuttling charges which flooded the engine and boiler rooms. He made a final tour of his ship and left. SIKH took a long time to die, heeling over to starboard as she sank while shells continued to hit. All the survivors were taken as prisoner of war.