SAS Bloemfontein

BySeaWaves Magazine – Jul 10, 2026

Photo courtesy of George Ericso

SAS Bloemfontein was an Algerine class minesweeper launched by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. Collingwood, Ontario,in 1945 for the Royal Navy’s HMS Rosamund . Employed in minesweeping duty in European waters until 1947 and placed in reserve and later transfered to South Africa. Bloemfontein spent most of her early career in the South African Navy training or making good-will visits to foreign countries. She was laid up in the late 1950s and was recommissioned in 1961 to serve as an interim training ship until the shore-based training establishment then under construction was completed. This occurred in 1963 and Bloemfontein returned briefly to reserve before she was deemed surplus to requirements. The ship was sunk as a target in 1967 and is now an artificial reef in False Bay.