Built as USS Craven (DD 70) of the Caldwell-class, commissioned in US Navy on 19 Oct, 1918. On 10 Oct, 1919 placed in reserve fleet and decommissioned on 15 Jun, 1922. On 12 Nov, 1939 renamed USS Conway (DD 70), recommissioned on 9 Aug, 1940 and transferred to Royal Navy on 23 Oct, 1940.

Lewes departed Halifax 1 November and arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, 9 November, searching for the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer during her passage. She was refitted at Plymouth, England, and ordered to remain there under the command of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. Severely damaged in enemy air raids on 21 and 22 April 1941, she remained out of action until December when she joined the Home Fleet. In February 1942 she joined Rosyth Escort Force, escorting convoys between the Thames and the Firth of Forth, Scotland. On 9 and 10 November 1942 she engaged German E-boats which attacked her convoy off Lowestoft. Lewes escorted a troop convoy on its way to the Middle East and arrived at Simonstown, Union of South Africa, 18 May 1943. As well as serving as target for aircraft during their training, she searched for enemy submarines reported rounding Cape of Good Hope.

In 1944 she joined the Eastern Fleet as a submarine tender and torpedo target ship. Lewes departed Durban 13 August and arrived at Ceylon a month later. She was based at Trincomalee until January 1945 when she was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet as a target ship for aircraft training. Arriving at Fremantle, Australia, 11 February 1945, she shifted to Sydney 20 February and remained there until the end of hostilities. On 12 October 1945 this most widely traveled of the "Town" destroyers was reported as no longer necessary to the fleet, and was ordered scrapped.

Commanding Officers:
Lt.Cdr. John Neil Kelly Knight, RN
23 October 1940 – ca. May / June 1941

HMS Lewes in Dockyard Control during repairs

Lt.Cdr. Lawrence Henry Philipps, RN
3 November 1941 – 1 February 1943

Lt.Cdr. Michael Vitale Thorburn, DSC, RNVR
1 February 1943 – 11 October 1943
VD awarded on 28 May 1943

T/A/Lt.Cdr. Malcolm Henry Grylls, SANFV
11 October 1943 - Still in command in October 1945 according to the Navy List