Gradings

The SAS Pietermaritzburg started out her career as the HMS Pelorus, an Algerine Class Ocean Minesweeper, in June 1943. On 6 June 1944, HMS Pelorus achieved prominence when, under the command of Captain George Nelson she led the Allied Armada in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. She was also one of the Allied vessels to first arrive in Singapore after the Japanese surrender in 1945. In 1947, after the end of World War II, she was sold to the South African Navy and initially renamed the HMSAS Maritzburg. However, after submissions by the Council of Pietermaritzburg she was renamed the HMSAS Pietermaritzburg on 21 January 1948. She was used for the training of midshipmen and later refitted and used as a dormitory ship in Simon’s town until 1991.

Due to the ship’s historical significance a committee was formed and considerable effort was put into preserving the PMB, as she was affectionately known, in order to save her as a floating museum ship. However, the cost of berthing and refitting the PMB amounted to too much and the campaign abandoned. The ship was then scuttled off of Millers Point near Simon’s Town in a ceremonial fashion on November 19, 1994.