At the beginning of the Second World War she joined the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based in Gibraltar and in June 1940 joined Force H. As such she took part in Operation Catapult against the French fleet in Mers El Kébir. On 31 July "Active" set out from Gibraltar as part of Force H for Operation Hurry in which the aircraft carrier 's aircraft attacked Cagliari in Italy as a diversion while the carrier ferried 12 Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft to Malta. In August 1940, she returned to British waters, joining the 12th Destroyer Flotilla for operations in the Western Approaches and with the Home Fleet. From November 1940 to March 1941 "Active" was refitted at Liverpool.