As part of the 1st Torpedoboot Flotilla, the ship got fully operational at the end of 1940. After operations near Jutland and mining operations in the North Sea, T3 was send to France in September 1940 and sunk during a nightbomber raid in Le Havre on 18.09.1940. Raised and repaired at the end of 1943, the ship was allocated to the 2nd Torpedoboot Flotilla and recommissioned on 12.12.1943. On 04.01.1945, T3 sunk the Soviet submarine S4 by ramming it, but was sunk by a mine on 14.03.1945 near Hela at 54°39'N, 18°47'E.