[1][2] She served during World War II in the Royal Indian Navy (RIN), the successor to the RIM.

[1] In the immediate post-war years, Lawrence was used by the Royal Indian Marine for servicing buoys and lighthouses and as a transport for high officials in the Persian Gulf.

[4] On the outbreak of the Second World War, the Lawrence, whose armament had been increased by the addition of four 3-pounder guns and a second 2-pounder pom-pom,[5] deployed to Masirah Island off the coast of Oman where it was used to carry out patrols,[6] taking part in the unsuccessful search for the missing airliner Hannibal in March 1940.

[7] Immediately prior to the outbreak of the Anglo-Iraqi War, Lawrence helped to cover the landing of the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade at Basra on 18 April 1941.

[8] When Britain and the Soviet Union invaded Iran in August 1941, Lawrence took part in the attack on Abadan on 25 August 1941, boarding and capturing the Iranian gunboats Karkas and Shahbaaz and two Italian merchant ships.