on commissioning "laverock" joined the 3rd destroyer flotilla, part of the harwich force, which was under the overall command of commodore reginald tyrwhitt. on 2 november 1914, "laverock" accompanied the light cruiser and the destroyers and on an anti-submarine patrol in the area of the broad fourteens. as their course took them between british and german minefields, the ships encountered many stray floating mines, destroying 15 of them. the patrol was still at sea when german cruisers and battlecruisers carried out a raid on yarmouth the next morning, and was ordered to yarmouth to attempt to intercept the german force. the germans, however, managed to escape the british forces. in october 1915 the 3rd destroyer flotilla was renumbered the 9th destroyer flotilla, still remaining part of the harwich force, with "laverock" remaining part of the new formation.