HMS Hare (J389) was an Algerine-class minesweeper powered by steam turbines, built during the Second World War. The vessel was constructed by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with her keel laid down on 27 November 1943. She was launched on 20 June 1944 and commissioned into service on 10 November 1944. The ship’s design featured a displacement of approximately 940 to 980 long tons at standard load and 1,225 to 1,265 long tons at deep load. She measured 225 feet (68.6 meters) in overall length, with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 meters) and a draught of 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 meters). Her crew comprised 85 officers and ratings. HMS Hare was armed with a QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun and four single Bofors 40 mm mounts, suitable for anti-aircraft defense. She was also equipped with four throwers and two rails for deploying depth charges, reflecting her role in minesweeping and anti-submarine warfare. During her service in World War II, HMS Hare participated in minesweeping operations, contributing to naval safety and convoy protection. Her wartime service was relatively brief, as she was decommissioned on 26 February 1946, shortly after the war ended. In 1958, HMS Hare was sold to Nigeria, with the transfer ceremony held in Portsmouth. She was renamed HMNS Nigeria and was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy on 21 July 1959. Notably, during her commissioning, the Nigerian Navy received the ship’s symbolic silver bell from the cruiser HMS Nigeria, donated in 1940, which became her flagship. HMS Hare served in Nigeria until her decommissioning in 1962, after which she was returned to the United Kingdom, arriving at Faslane on 6 November 1962. The vessel’s history highlights her role in wartime minesweeping and her later service as a flagship for Nigeria, marking her as a significant asset in both British and Nigerian naval history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.