An item reported that at the French naval base at Lorient on Friday the first submarine build for South Africa was to be transferred. Supreme commander of the South African navy admiral Hugo Biermann was to be present during this ceremony. She was named Maria van Riebeeck and her crew of 45 men was trained by the French navy.(1)
Note
1. Laid down at the shipyard of Dubigeon-Normandie, Nantes-Chantenay on 14 March 1968, launched on 18 March a year later and commissioned on 22 June 1970. French Daphne-design with a displacement of 850 (surface)-1,040 (submerged tons) an as dimensions 190’3”x 22’3”x x 15.4’ or 58 x 6,8 x 4,7 metres. Her crew numbered 47 men and she was armed with 12-21.7” torpedo tubes ( 8x bow, 4 x stern).
