HMS Pelorus (J291)

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HMS Pelorus (J291) was an Algerine-class minesweeper, built by Lobnitz of Renfrew, Scotland and launched on June 19, 1943. While equipped with minesweeping gear, she was primarily assigned to convoy escort duty in the Atlantic. In 1947 the ship was sold to the South African Navy and renamed HMSAS Pietermaritzburg. Still afloat well into the 1990s, many people wished to turn the ship into a maritime museum, but instead she was scuttled on October 12, 1994 to make an artificial reef off the coast of Simon’s Town, South Africa.

The Pelorus displaced 850 tons and had a crew compliment of 85 men. Her armament consisted of a single 4" antiaircraft gun, and four 20 mm guns. She was powered by reciprocating engines with 2 shafts, outputting 2000 shp.