HMS Contest was a C-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, built by J. Samuel White, Cowes.

On commissioning Contest served as part of the 8th Destroyer Squadron in the Far East.

In 1947, Contest was ordered to the Solomon Islands as a deterrence against feared violence when the leaders of the Maasina Ruru independence movement were arrested.

[5] While on passage back to the UK from the Far East in December 1947, Contest and sister ship Cockade were diverted to Aden in response to anti-Jewish rioting, with men from the two destroyers and the survey ship Challenger being landed to try to restore order.

She then served as part of the 6th Destroyer Squadron in the Home Fleet.