Laid down as a merchant collier at the yard of Blyth Dry Dock on 7 November 1913. In May 1914 acquired the British Admiralty the not still completed hull which was converted into the seaplane carrier Ark Royal. During the conversion was the bridge altered and engines aft placed while in front of the new bridge a flying off deck was made fitted out for cranes to transport the planes towards the sea or take them afterwards again on board. Launched on 5 September 1914 and completed on 10 December 1914. After the First World war she was used as a depot ship for minesweepers and was later used in the research for better catapults and transport abilities to take returning planes back on board. On 21 December 1934 renamed Pegasus. During the Second World War she was used for convoy duties until she was decommissioned in February 1944 when se became an accommodation ship. Sold on 18 October 1946 (other sources claimed December 1946). The alteration back into the merchant ship Anita I was never completed she was finally was sold to be broken up by T.W. Ward in June 1949 which was done at Grays, Essex between April and October 1950.
With a displacement of 7,080 long tons/7,1790 tons standard and 7,450long tons/7,570 tons loaded were her dimensions or 353½’ (between perpendiculars)-366’ (over al) x 50 5/6’ x 17½’ (mean) or 112 (over all) x 15,5 x 5,5 metres. Jane’s reported in 1944/1945 a displacement of 6,900 tons. The triple expansion reciprocating engine and 2 boilers supplied 3,000 shp allowing a speed of 11 knots. The oil bunker capacity was 500 tons. She even seemed to be fitted out with a mizzen sail used for keeping her head straight into the wind. Her crew numbered 180 men (Jane’s said in 1944/1945 139 men). The armament consisted of 4-12pdrs, 2-7,7mm Maxim machine guns and she carried with her 5 floatplanes (2x Sopwith Type 807, 2xWright Pushers and 1xShort 135) and as land-bases planes 2 Sopwith Tabloid.
Sources
shttp://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-04CV-Pegasus
htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pegasus_(1934)
Jane’s Fighting Ships 1944-1945
