Mercantile hull purchased in
1914 by the Admiralty during construction for conversion into a Seaplane
Carrier and to be named ARK ROYAL on launch. This ship had been laid down
by Blyth Dry Dock on 7th November 1913 for
use as a collier. She was the modified
with bridge and machinery fitted aft to suit her new role. A flying off deck
was fitted in front of the
bridge with cranes installed for transfer of aircraft to and from the sea. This
ship was launched on 5th September 1914 and completed on 10th December that year. After
WW1 she carried aircraft to the
Middle east and also acted as
a minesweeper depot ship before being deployed for research and
development of catapults and recovery of aircraft by
warships. She was renamed
PEGASUS in 1934 when her original name was
selected for the Fleet aircraft
carrier then being built. The
new name was first used for an RN warship when given
to a Sloop in 1776. It had
previously been borne by a seaplane
carrier in 1917 which was sold in 1931. In March
1942 the ship was 'adopted'
by the civil community of Saddleworth, Yorkshire after a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National
Savings campaign.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ST VINCENT 1780
- MARTINIQUE 1780 - GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE
1794 - EGYPT 1801 - ATLANTIC 1941
H e r a
l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue,a winged horse rampant Gold.
M o
t t o
Excelsior : 'Higher'
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Deployed
with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to Selected for conversion to Catapult Armed
Merchant Ship
October
November Under refit and conversion for new
role.
to New bridge structure was fitted and the
pole mast was replaced by a tripod mast
December to carry Radar Type 279B when this
became available.
(Note : As an interim a
modified RAF Air Surface Vessel (ASV) radar was installed
with its fixed 'Bedstead'
type aerial fitted on the foremast. (Type 286M)
For details of the development and use of radar in
the RN see RADAR AT
SEA by D. Howse and companion volumes sponsored by the Radar Trust).
1 9 4 1
January Refit and conversion in
continuation.
to March
April On
completion carried out post refit trials and prepared for convoy defence duty.
May Deployed for defence of Atlantic convoys.
to (Note : HMS PEGASUS was one of the first CAM ships and entered service
with two
December mercantiles,
HMS ARIGUANI and HMS MAPLIN. These were introduced
pending the availability of Escort Aircraft Carriers then
under development
and build).
1 9 4 2
January Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
to March
April Under refit. Radar Type 279B installed.
(See
RADAR AT SEA).
May Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence duty.
to December
1 9 4 3
Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation.
1 9 4 4
Withdrawn from
convoy defence duty and used as an Accommodation Ship.
1 9 4 5
Accommodation Ship duties in continuation.
P o s t W
a r N o t e s
HMS PEGASUS was placed on the
Disposal List and sold for mercantile use on 18th
October 1946. She was renamed ANITA until April
1950 when she sold for breaking-up by T W Ward. The ship arrived at
the breaker's yard in Grays, Essex on 14th April 1946.
Addendum
Convoy
Escort Movements of HMS PEGASUS
by Don Kindell
Date convoy Joined
convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
09/12/40 09/12/40 OG 047 15/12/40 21/12/40
28/11/40 16/12/40 SL 057 unknown
19/12/40
07/01/41 08/01/41 OG 049 11/01/41 21/01/41
29/12/40 11/01/41 HG 049 15/01/41 15/01/41
19/01/41 19/01/41
OB 276 24/01/41 25/01/41
12/01/41 26/01/41 SC 019 31/01/41 02/02/41
26/02/41 27/02/41
OB 291 03/03/41 03/03/41
10/02/41 04/03/41 SL 065 08/03/41 08/03/41
01/03/41 21/03/41 SL 067 26/03/41 26/03/41
12/04/41 12/04/41
OB 309 19/04/41 19/04/41
31/05/41 01/06/41
OB 329 05/06/41 05/06/41
25/05/41 02/06/41 HG 063 08/06/41 09/06/41
15/06/41 17/06/41
OB 336 unknown
23/06/41
10/06/41 24/06/41 SC 034 28/06/41 29/06/41
04/07/41 05/07/41 OG 067 09/07/41 20/07/41
18/06/41 09/07/41 SL 078 12/07/41 12/07/41
(Note on Convoys)
