Fleetwood was recalled to Home waters following the outbreak of the Second World War, arriving at Portland on 11 October 1939 and was tasked with providing escort to convoys along the East coast of Britain. In April 1940, Germany invaded Norway, with Fleetwood attached to the Home Fleet. She provided anti-aircraft cover for landings at Åndalsnes and Molde, and when the sloop was damaged by German bombs, Fleetwood towed the damaged ship back to Lerwick in Shetland. She then returned to Romsdalsfjord, relieving the damaged sloop on 28 April. On 29 April she was near missed by a German bomb, which caused little damage, and was herself relieved on 30 April by the sloop and the cruiser , having fired all her anti-aircraft ammunition. Fleetwood evacuated 340 troops on her return to Britain. On 11–12 May 1940 Fleetwood helped to land troops at Mo i Rana, and came under heavy air attack. On 27 May 1940, Fleetwood helped escort the badly damaged destroyer , which had her bow blown off at the Second Battle of Narvik, from Harstad back to Britain.
