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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Pretext (AN-76)

Pretext was Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom as HMS Pretext (Z-284), later HMNZS Endeavour

Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship:

Laid down, 1 May 1943, as Yard Net Tender Pretext (YN-89) at American Car and Foundry Co., Wilmington, DE.

Reclassified Net Laying Ship (AN-76), 17 January 1944

Launched, 23 May 1944

Delivered to the Navy, 5 August 1944

Transferred under Lend Lease to the United Kingdom 5 August 1944

Commissioned as boom defense vessel HMS Pretext (Z-284)

Custody returned to the US Navy, 22 November 1945, at Norfolk, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 March 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal

Sold, 20 July 1947 by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) to Falkland Island Dependencies Survey

Converted to a Survey Ship and renamed RRS John Biscoe

Renamed RRS Pretext, June 1956

Acquired by Royal New Zealand Navy, 15 August 1956

Refitted by John L Thornycroft and Co., Ltd, for Antarctic service

Commissioned HMNZS Endeavour

Decommissioned in 1962

Sold in June 1962 for commercial service to Mayhaven Shipping Co. refitted as a Sealer, renamed Arctic Endeavour

Final Disposition, 11 November 1982, sunk or foundered at Catalina, Newfoundland

Specifications:
Displacement 1,460 t.(fl)
Length 194' 6"
Beam 37'
Draft 13' 6"
Speed 12.1 kts.

Complement

Officers 4

Enlisted 52

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 760 Bbls

Ship's Service Generators

two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

Propulsion

two Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel-electric engines

single propeller, 1,200shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
HMS Pretext (Z-284)
	82k	*HMS Pretext* (Z-284)*, one of the five units of this class transferred to Britain under Lend Lease near the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 23 August 1944, soon after transfer. The former searchlight platform now holds a 20mm gun but remains at its original height. US National Archives RG-19-LCM photo # 19-N-72300*, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Mike Green
RSS John Biscoe
	43k	Falkland Islands Dependencies survey ship RRS John Biscoe at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, prior to being sold to the government of New Zealand in 1956. The photo is postmarked Port Stanley, 18 December 1957.	Tommy Trampp
	304k	Falkland Island Dependancies stamp 1954 issue featuring RSS John Biscoe, later HMNZS Endeavour. Falkland Island. Post Office. Hi-res scan of postage stamp by Gwillhickers (real name unknown).	Robert Hurst
HMNZS Endeavour
	268k	Antarctic Expedition ship HMNZS Endeavour, under way in Wellington harbor, New Zealand. Photograph taken in 1956 for The Evening Post Newspaper by an unidentified staff photographer. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1956/2952a-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.	Robert Hurst
	240k	Port side view of the Antarctic expedition ship HMNZS Endeavour under way in Wellington harbour, New Zealand. Photograph taken 1956 for The Evening Post by an unidentified staff photographer. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1956/2952b-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.	Robert Hurst
	365k	B. Gunn, a geologist, going aboard *Endeavour. Photograph taken 1956 by an unidentified photographer. From a collection of photographs depicting the departure of HMNZS Endeavour* from Dunedin to Antarctica, part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, published in bound for the Antarctic The Weekly News (Auckland, New Zealand: Wilson and Horton): p. 30. 26 December 1956.	Robert Hurst
	330k	Sir Edmund Hillary (right) and Mr. J.H. Miller, deputy leader of the expedition, in one of the cabins on board *Endeavour. Photograph taken 1956 by an unidentified photographer. From a collection of photographs depicting the departure of HMNZS Endeavour* from Dunedin to Antarctica, part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, published in bound for the Antarctic The Weekly News (Auckland, New Zealand: Wilson and Horton): p. 30. 26 December 1956.	Robert Hurst
	411k	Members of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in one of the cabins on board *Endeaour; from top: Dr. D. Hatherton, chief of the scientific staff; Flying Officer W.J. Cranfield; Mr. B. Gunn. From a collection of photographs depicting the departure of HMNZS Endeavour* from Dunedin to Antarctica, part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, published in bound for the Antarctic The Weekly News (Auckland, New Zealand: Wilson and Horton): p. 30. 26 December 1956.	Robert Hurst
	54k	HMNZS Endeavour underway off Southampton, England, en-route to New Zealand, circa 1957. Photo courtesy Messrs. John I. Thornycroft & Co. Ltd., Woolston, Southampton, England	Robert Hurst
	44k	HMNZS Endeavour at Scott Base, Antarctica after unloading modified Massey Ferguson tractors for the 1957 Kiwi Trans Antarctic expedition crew, led by Edmund Hillary, and assisted by *Endeavour*'s crew, set about building Scott base, which was officially opened, 29 January 1957.	Robert Hurst
	10k	HMNZS Endeavour at Scott base, Antarctica. In the foreground are modified Massey Ferguson tractors of Edmund Hillary's team pulling sledges loaded with fuel and other supplies to establish supply depots for Dr. Vivian Fuchs and his party during their attempt to cross the Antarctic continent from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole.	Robert Hurst
	43k	HMNZS Endeavour returning to her berth at Wellington, N.Z., date unknown.	Photo Courtesy David J. Robertson, RNZN Communicators Association