HMS Lawson (K516) was a Captain-class frigate of the Royal Navy, originally constructed as the U.S. Navy Evarts-class destroyer escort DE-518. Laid down on July 9, 1943, at the Boston Navy Yard, she was launched on August 13, 1943, and transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on November 15, 1943, when she was commissioned into British service as HMS Lawson (K516). The ship measured approximately 289 feet 5 inches (88.2 meters) in length, with a beam of 35 feet 2 inches (10.7 meters) and a draught of 10 feet 1 inch (3.1 meters) at full load. Displacing around 1,190 long tons (1,210 tonnes) standard and up to 1,416 long tons (1,439 tonnes) fully loaded, she was powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system derived from submarine technology. Four General Motors 16-cylinder diesel engines generated electricity for four General Electric electric motors, driving two propeller shafts. This configuration allowed the vessel to reach speeds of 20 knots (37 km/h) and provided a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h). Her complement consisted of approximately 198 officers and ratings. Armament on HMS Lawson included three 3-inch (76 mm)/50 Mk 22 dual-purpose guns, with two positioned superfiring forward and one aft. Anti-aircraft defenses comprised a twin 40 mm Bofors mount (though not all ships were fitted with this due to shortages) and nine 20 mm Oerlikon guns. The ship was also equipped with anti-submarine weapons: a Mark 10 Hedgehog mortar, two depth charge rails, and four K-gun depth charge throwers, making her effective in escort and patrol duties. HMS Lawson served primarily in the North Atlantic, performing patrol and escort missions throughout World War II. Notably, she supported the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. After the war, she was returned to U.S. custody in 1946 and subsequently sold for scrap in 1947, marking her as a significant part of the wartime naval effort and the transatlantic alliance.

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