Екінші дүниежүзілік соғыстағы британ мина тазартқышы "Пелорус" тарихы

Algerine class minesweeper built for the Royal Navy during World War II

HMS Pelorus (pennant number: J291) was an built for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. Upon completion, the ship became the flotilla leader of the 7th Minesweeper Flotilla, clearing mines off the east coast of England. In June 1944, the flotilla was assigned to sweep one of the beaches during the Normandy landings until she struck a mine the following month. After her repairs were completed, Pelorus was reassigned to the English Channel and the 6th Minesweeping Flotilla. The flotilla was transferred to the Indian Ocean in 1945 and spent some time escorting convoys. They participated in Operation Collie, a bombardment of Japanese positions in the Nicobar Islands, in July and then swept the Strait of Malacca and the approaches to Singapore in August. After the war, she was sold to the South African Navy and renamed HMSAS Pietermaritzburg. The ship was later converted into a midshipmans' training ship during the early 1960s. She served as a barracks ship from 1968 to 1991 when Pietermaritzburg was listed for disposal. The ship was scuttled as an artificial reef off the South African coast in 1994.

Pelorus displaced at standard load and at deep load. The ship had an overall length of 225 feet (69 m), a beam of 35 feet (11 m) and a deep draught of 12 feet (4 m). She was powered by a pair of vertical triple expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three drum boilers. The engines developed a total of which gave a maximum speed of The ship carried enough fuel oil that she had a range of at The ship was armed with a single 4 inch (102 mm) Mk V dual purpose gun For anti submarine work, Pelorus was fitted with two depth charge rails, and four depth charge throwers. The ship was equipped with a Type 271 surface search radar and a Type 291 air search radar. Her crew numbered 85 officers and ratings. During the war the two single Oerlikon mounts on the bridge wings were replaced by twin power driven mounts and the two remaining single mounts aft were superseded by two single Bofors AA guns before the ship sailed for the Far East. Her complement now consisted of 8 officers, 73 ratings, 10 midshipmen and 50 trainees. She was refitted in 1971.

Pelorus was named after Pelorus Jack, a Risso's dolphin that often escorted ships through French Pass in New Zealand. The ship was ordered on 1 January 1942 from Lobnitz of Renfrew, Scotland and laid down on 8 October. She was launched on 18 June 1943 and completed two months later on 7 October. The ship was assigned to the newly formed 7th Minesweeping Flotilla upon completion and served as the flotilla leader. The flotilla was tasked with clearing mines off the east coast of England until June 1944 when they were assigned to sweep the minefields protecting Juno Beach during the Normandy landings. Pelorus led the flotilla on 6 June and was thus the leading ship of the entire invasion fleet. Pietermaritzburg re commissioned as a dedicated training ship on 30 August 1962. and the navy made the decision to dispose of her as an artificial reef. Pietermaritzburg was scuttled on 12 November 1994 to make an artificial reef at Miller's Point near Simon's Town. The wreck settled upright on the sand at a maximum depth of It has begun to collapse and the interior is much less accessible than it used to be. The wreck and surrounding was declared a South African National Heritage Site on 23 August 2013 after legal salvage efforts in 2012 had badly damaged the wreck.