when world war ii began in september 1939, "hans lody" was initially deployed in the baltic to operate against the polish navy and to enforce a blockade of poland, but she was soon transferred to the german bight where she joined her sisters in laying defensive minefields. while loading mines on 4 september, one exploded aboard "hans lody", killing two crewmen and wounded six others, and slightly damaging the ship's stern. the ship later patrolled the skagerrak to inspect neutral shipping for contraband goods, losing one man overboard and three injured during a storm at the end of october. on the night of 18/19 november, commander ("fregattenkapitän") erich bey, in his flagship "z15 erich steinbrinck", led and "hans lody", in laying a minefield off the humber estuary that claimed another seven ships of 38,710 gross register tons (grt), including the polish ocean liner of 14,294 grt.