HMS Lagos (D44)

HMS Lagos (D44) was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named in honour of the Battle of Lagos which happened in 1759 off the coast of Portugal, between the Royal Navy and a French fleet, resulting in a British victory.

History
Lagos was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was one of ten battle class destroyers ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. She was launched on 4 August 1944 and commissioned on 2 November 1945. Her pennant number was originally 'R44', which was later (post-1948) changed to 'D44' when the Royal Navy rationalised the numbering system.

Post WWII
In 1946, after the end of hostilities, Lagos deployed to the Far East with the 19th Destroyer Flotilla to join the British Pacific Fleet. Her journey included stops at various ports, such as for example, Port Said (March), Colombo, Singapore, Hong Kong (May), Shanghai (June), before finally reaching Japan in July 1946.

After visiting Japan Lagos, along with the rest of the Flotilla, began the journey home to the UK, once again visiting lots of ports on fly-the-flag visits, mainly in Malaya. Upon returning to the UK in early 1947, Lagos was placed in Reserve.

In 1957, Lagos joined the 1st Destroyer Squadron, seeing service with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. The following year, Lagos, with the rest of the squadron, joined the Far East Fleet. In 1959, in the aftermath of her sister-ship Hogue's, which had suffered extensive damaged in a collision with the Indian warship INS Mysore, Lagos, as well as another sister-ship, Solebay, towed Hogue to Singapore.

Decommissioning
In 1960, Lagos was decommissioned, being scrapped at Bo'ness in 1967.