In January 1950, Finisterre took part in the rescue attempt of the submarine Truculent, which had sunk after colliding with the Swedish merchant ship Divina in the Thames Estuary.

The following year Finisterre became the Gunnery Training Ship, based at Whale Island, Portsmouth as part of HMS Excellent.

After her sister ship, Hogue, collided with an Indian cruiser in August 1959, Finisterre replaced her in the 1st Destroyer Squadron, based in the Far East.

[5] She took over duties of her sister ship, Hogue, to complete a tour of Australia over the Christmas period of 1959.

She was one of a number of Royal Navy ships stationed off Kuwait to keep the peace as the country gained its independence in 1961.