HMS Ark Royal / HMS Pegasus

History of HMS Ark Royal / HMS Pegasus

Even before the First World War, the Royal Navy was working on the concept of an aircraft carrier. It took HMS Hermes, a Highflyer-class cruiser, and modified it to support two seaplanes for trials.

The results of these tests confirmed that the idea was feasible, and work began on a purpose-built seaplane carrier. To expedite the procurement process, the decision to purchase a ship that was already under construction resulted in the hull being forged by Bryce Shipbuilding in Bryce, Northumberland.

The ship was laid down on 7 November 1913, and the Royal Navy purchase was completed in May 1914.

Then began to refit the ship to adequately take off and land seaplanes. The forward obstructions of all existing ships have been moved to the stern to create an unobstructed deck above the forecastle - this includes the single funnel. Likewise, her internal machinery has been moved aft, the bridge superstructure has been moved aft, and the views from the new deck are impressive.

A hangar was constructed below to service a projected fleet of eight seaplanes and two cranes to restore the seaplanes on return. The machinery installed included three boilers and a triple vertical expansion steam engine driving a 3,000 hp single shaft. It has a top speed of 11 knots and a range of up to 3,500 miles.

With a total crew of 180, local defenses will be handled by four QF 12lb 12 CWT guns.

In late June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, pushing Europe into war. The announcement sounded in July, and by August Britain was at war. Work on the new ship continued at a rapid pace, and it was launched on September 5, 1914.

Sea trials followed, and the ship entered service on 10 December 1914 as HMS Ark Royal - the world's first purpose-built seaplane carrier.

The HMS Ark Royal was soon in service at sea when Britain was at war. Determined that her machine would limit her tactical value in the fast Grand Fleet operation, she was sent to the Mediterranean theater, where she arrived in January 1915. From there, the ship supported the Allies in the disastrous Battle of Gallipoli (April 1915). to January 1916), where their aircraft provided reconnaissance and close support services.

Since the water was too dangerous for them, the Ark Royal was ordered to leave in order to protect them.

En route to Thessaloniki, Greece, its Luftwaffe conducted various reconnaissance missions, including a flight over Smyrna in November 1916. A ground attack on the Bulgarian army followed. In March 1917, Ark Royal was dispatched near Mudros, Greece, as a landing and launch centre for Allied seaplanes, followed by German battlecruiser Breslau and Ottoman battlecruiser Yavu in January 1918. The ZSultan Selim met.

Although both were crippled by mines, Ark Royal's air force barely completed the pair. In Syros, the Ark Royal entered service with Royal Air Force (RAF) seaplanes in early April 1918 and sailed to Piraeus in October. On October 30, 1918, she attended the Ottoman surrender in Constantinople.

After the war, she supported RAF aircraft in the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), but was placed in reserve in November 1920.

The HMS Ark Royal was reactivated in September 1922 during the "Chanak Crisis" to support the Anglo-French forces, and returned to home waters in 1923 to regain reserve status. Commissioned again in 1930, she served as a training platform until around 1939, before changing its name to HMS Pegasus in 1934.

Her original name is now for a new Royal Navy carrier.

At the outbreak of World War II, HMS Pegasus continued her duties and provided transport and rescue services as the war situation developed. From December 1940 to July 1941, she assisted as an escort, and her anti-aircraft armament was improved with the installation of radar.

She returned to her instructor position in time and held that position until February 1944, before being relegated to a barracks ship until May 1946.

With the end of the war in September 1945, HMS Pegasus was no longer required to serve. In October 1946, she was briefly taken over as a freighter ("Anita I") by a Panamanian company. While its conversion was ongoing, it was stalled in 1948 due to lack of payment. In June 1949, the ship was claimed by a Dutch shipbreaking company, but she changed hands again, this time by a British shipbreaking company.

After serving faithfully in both world wars, she was scrapped in 1950.

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