{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image = SS Brussels (Our Generation, 1938).jpg |image_caption = }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header = |name =*SS ''Brussels'' (1902–16) *SMS ''Brugge'' (1916–21) *SS ''Lady Brussels'' (1921–29) |owner =*Great Eastern Railway (1902–16) *Kaiserliche Marine (1916–18) *Belgian Government (1918–20) *Admiralty (1920–21) *J Gale & Co (1921–29) |operator =*Great Eastern Railway (1902–16) *Kaiserliche Marine (1916–18) *Dublin & Lancashire Steamship Co (1921–22) *British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd (1922–29) |registry =*{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|civil}} Harwich (1902–16) *{{flagicon|German Empire|naval}} Berlin (1916–18) *{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|civil}} Dublin (1921–23) *{{flagicon|Ireland}} Dublin (1923–29) |route =*Harwich–Antwerp (1902–16) *Preston–Dublin (1920–29) |ordered = |builder = Gourlay Brothers, Dundee |original_cost = |yard_number = 202 |way_number = |laid_down = |launched = 26 March 1902<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Important Launch at Dundee. |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000576/19020326/018/0004 |newspaper=Aberdeen Journal |location=Aberdeen |date=26 March 1902 |access-date=11 November 2015|via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> |completed = May 1902 |christened = |acquired = |maiden_voyage = |in_service = May 1902 |out_of_service = 1918–20 |identification = UK Official Number 109884 (1902–16, 1921–29) |fate = Scrapped 1929 |notes = }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header = |header_caption = |class = |tonnage = {{GRT|1,380}} |displacement = |length = {{convert|285|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |beam = {{convert|34|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |height = |draught = |draft = |depth = {{convert|15|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |decks = |deck_clearance = |ramps = |ice_class = |sail_plan = |power = Two triple-expansion steam engines |propulsion = Twin screws |speed = {{convert|16.5|kn|km/h}} |capacity = |crew = |notes = }} }} thumb|SMS ''Brugge'' scuttled at Zeebrugge, in late 1918 '''''Brussels''''' was a passenger ferry built in 1902 for the British Great Eastern Railway. In 1915, she tried to ram {{SMU|U-33|Germany|2}}. The ship was captured by Germany in 1916 and her captain, Charles Fryatt was executed after the Germans discovered his attempted ramming. ''Brussels'' was renamed '''''Brugge''''' and used as a depôt ship at Zeebrugge.
In October 1918, ''Brugge'' was scuttled by the Germans when they evacuated the port. The ship was raised by the Belgian government and presented to the Admiralty in 1920. She was repaired and later renamed '''''Lady Brussels'''''. She was employed as an Irish Sea ferry, serving until scrapped in 1929.
==Construction and design==
''Brussels'' was a {{GRT|1380|link=off}} passenger ferry. She was built by Gourlay Brothers, Dundee, as yard number 202. She was {{convert|285|ft|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|34|ft|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|15|ft|6|in|m|2}}. Her two triple expansion steam engines gave a service speed of {{convert|16.5|kn|km/h}}.<ref name=Fryatt>{{cite web |url=http://www.southernlife.org.uk/fryatt.htm |title=Charles Fryatt |publisher=Southern Life |access-date=4 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006185254/http://southernlife.org.uk/fryatt.htm |archive-date=6 October 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
''Brussels'' was launched on 26 March 1902 and completed in May.<ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=1109884|access-date=4 December 2009}}</ref> Her Official Number was 109884 and her port of registry was Harwich.<ref name=Miramar/>
==Service history==
''Brussels'' was used on the Harwich – Hook of Holland route. During the First World War, her captain, Fryatt, was twice recognised for his actions. On 3 March 1915,<ref name=Station>{{cite web|url=https://www.roll-of-honour.com/London/LiverpoolStreetFryatt.html |title=LIVERPOOL STREET STATION, CHARLES ALGERNON FRYATT MEMORIAL |publisher=Roll of Honour |access-date=4 December 2009}}</ref> he evaded a German U-boat for which he was awarded a gold watch by the Great Eastern Railway. On 28 March 1915, ''Brussels'' was ordered to stop by ''U-33'' when she was near the Maas Lightship, but Fryatt attempted to ram the U-boat, which was forced to crash dive. For this action, the Admiralty awarded him a gold watch.<ref name=Fryatt/> The First Officer and Chief Engineer also received gold watches from the Admiralty for this action.<ref name=GEM0916>[http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/features/readings/readings.htm#EX02 ''The Great Eastern Railway Magazine'', September 1920, p 218–26]</ref>
On 23 June 1916, ''Brussels'' was captured by the German torpedo boats ''G101'' and ''G102''. Fryatt was interned at Zeebrugge where he was arrested after engravings on his watches revealed his previous actions. Fryatt was tried and executed on 27 July 1916. ''Brussels'' was taken over by the Kaiserliche Marine and renamed ''Brugge'', serving as a depôt ship at Zeebrugge.<ref name=Fryatt/> Her port of registry was nominally Berlin.<ref name=Miramar/> On 23 April 1918, the Zeebrugge Raid took place, and the ship was torpedoed several times by the British, but did not sink.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Zeebrugge Raid |last=Kendall |pages=135–136 }}</ref> ''Brugge'' was scuttled by the Germans on 28 October 1918<ref>NARA roll 225 Pic 600</ref> when they evacuated Zeebrugge.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Zeebrugge Raid |last=Kendall |page=256 }}</ref>
In 1918, ''Brugge'' was claimed by the Belgian government as a war prize. On 26 April 1920, she was presented to Britain. On 17 May, ''Brugge'' left Antwerp assisted by three tugs on a three-day journey to South Shields.<ref name=GEM0620>[http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/features/readings/readings.htm#EX09 ''The Great Eastern Magazine'', June 1920, p102]</ref> ''Brugge'' was taken to a Henry Robb's shipyard at Leith to be repaired.<ref>{{cite book |title=April Folly|last=Wilson |first=A.|page=5 }}</ref> She was sold by auction in 1920 for £2,700 to J Gale & Co. She was operated by the Dublin & Lancashire Steamship Company, which was later taken over by the British & Irish Steam Packet Company.<ref name=Fryatt/> Her port of registry was Dublin. ''Brugge'' was renamed ''Lady Brussels'' in 1922.<ref name=Miramar/> She was used on the Preston – Dublin route, serving until 1929. In May 1929 she was scrapped by Smith & Co, Port Glasgow.<ref name=Fryatt/> In 1920, the {{convert|10317|ft|m}} high Brussels Peak in Canada ({{coord|51|31|00|N|117|49|20|W}}) was named in honour of the ship.<ref name=Peak>{{cite peakfinder|id=176|name=Brussels Peak|access-date=10 December 2009}}</ref>
A ship's bell, which had been installed in the ship during her repairs in 1920/21, was acquired by Harwich Borough Council at put on display in Harwich Guildhall in April 1950.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwich-history.co.uk/captain-fryatt/|title=Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt|publisher=A Brief History of Harwich|first=Philip|last= Cone|access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
==Footnotes== {{Reflist|2}}
==References== *{{cite book |title=The Zeebrugge Raid 1918: 'The Finest feat of Arms' |last=Kendall |first=Paul |year=2009 |publisher=Spellmount |location=Brimscombe Port |isbn=978-0-7524-5332-3}} *{{cite book |title=April Folly|last=Wilson|first=A.|year=1948|location=Leith }}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Brussels (ship, 1902)}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111002121112/http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20L/slides/Lady%20Brussels-03.html Photo of SS ''Lady Brussels''] {{GER Ships}} {{June 1916 shipwrecks}} {{April 1918 shipwrecks}} {{October 1918 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brussels}} Category:1902 ships Category:Ships built in Dundee Category:Ships of the Great Eastern Railway Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom Category:Ferries of the United Kingdom Category:World War I merchant ships of the United Kingdom Category:Maritime incidents in 1915 Category:World War I shipwrecks in the North Sea Category:Maritime incidents in 1916 Category:Maritime incidents in 1918 Category:Steamships of the Republic of Ireland Category:Ferries of the Republic of Ireland Category:Ships of the British and Irish Steam Packet Company Category:Scuttled vessels Category:Shipwrecks of Belgium