At the beginning of the Second World War, "Repulse" was part of the Battlecruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet. She patrolled off the Norwegian coast and in the North Sea in search of German ships, as well as to enforce the blockade for the first couple months of the war. Early in the war, the aft triple 4-inch gun mount was replaced with an 8-barrel 2-pounder mount. In late October, she was transferred to Halifax with the aircraft carrier to protect convoys and search for German raiders. "Repulse" and "Furious" sortied from Halifax on 23 November in search of the after it had sunk the armed merchant cruiser , but "Repulse" was damaged by heavy seas in a storm and was forced to return to port. "Repulse" escorted the convoy bringing most of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division to Britain from 10 to 23 December 1939 and was reassigned to the Home Fleet. In February 1940, she accompanied the aircraft carrier on a fruitless search for six German blockade runners that had broken out of Vigo, Spain.