1940 saw "codrington" continue to host vips, as on 4 january, she embarked winston churchill (then first lord of the admiralty) on a visit to france. in february, she was nominated as the flotilla leader of the 1st destroyer flotilla based at harwich, replacing , which had been sunk by a mine on 19 january. on 5 february, she carried prime minister neville chamberlain, winston churchill and several high-ranking military leaders to boulogne for a war council meeting in paris. "codrington" then put into chatham dockyard for a refit.