# SS Brussels > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SS_Brussels > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SS_Brussels.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Brussels > Source revision: 1338383525 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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{{cite news |author= |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](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive) |url-access=subscription }} |completed = May 1902 |christened = |acquired = |maiden_voyage = |in_service = May 1902 |out_of_service = 1918–20 |identification = UK [Official Number](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Charles_Fryatt) was executed after the Germans discovered his attempted ramming. ''Brussels'' was renamed '''''Brugge''''' and used as a [depôt ship](/source/dep%C3%B4t_ship) at [Zeebrugge](/source/Zeebrugge). In October 1918, ''Brugge'' was scuttled by the Germans when they evacuated the port. The ship was raised by the [Belgian government](/source/Belgian_federal_government) and presented to the [Admiralty](/source/British_Admiralty) in 1920. She was repaired and later renamed '''''Lady Brussels'''''. She was employed as an [Irish Sea](/source/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](/source/Gourlay_Brothers), [Dundee](/source/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 engine](/source/triple_expansion_steam_engine)s gave a service speed of {{convert|16.5|kn|km/h}}.{{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 }} ''Brussels'' was launched on 26 March 1902 and completed in May.{{csr|register=MSI|id=1109884|access-date=4 December 2009}} Her [Official Number](/source/Official_Number) was 109884 and her port of registry was [Harwich](/source/Harwich). ==Service history== ''Brussels'' was used on the [Harwich](/source/Harwich) – [Hook of Holland](/source/Hook_of_Holland) route. During the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), her captain, Fryatt, was twice recognised for his actions. On 3 March 1915,{{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}} he evaded a German [U-boat](/source/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](/source/British_Admiralty) awarded him a gold watch. The First Officer and Chief Engineer also received gold watches from the Admiralty for this action.[http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/features/readings/readings.htm#EX02 ''The Great Eastern Railway Magazine'', September 1920, p 218–26] On 23 June 1916, ''Brussels'' was captured by the German torpedo boats ''G101'' and ''G102''. Fryatt was interned at [Zeebrugge](/source/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](/source/Kaiserliche_Marine) and renamed ''Brugge'', serving as a depôt ship at Zeebrugge. Her port of registry was nominally [Berlin](/source/Berlin). On 23 April 1918, the [Zeebrugge Raid](/source/Zeebrugge_Raid) took place, and the ship was torpedoed several times by the British, but did not sink.{{cite book |title=The Zeebrugge Raid |last=Kendall |pages=135–136 }} ''Brugge'' was scuttled by the Germans on 28 October 1918NARA roll 225 Pic 600 when they evacuated Zeebrugge.{{cite book |title=The Zeebrugge Raid |last=Kendall |page=256 }} In 1918, ''Brugge'' was claimed by the [Belgian government](/source/Belgian_federal_government) as a [war prize](/source/prize_(law)). On 26 April 1920, she was presented to Britain. On 17 May, ''Brugge'' left [Antwerp](/source/Antwerp) assisted by three [tugs](/source/tugboat) on a three-day journey to [South Shields](/source/South_Shields).[http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/features/readings/readings.htm#EX09 ''The Great Eastern Magazine'', June 1920, p102] ''Brugge'' was taken to a [Henry Robb's](/source/Henry_Robb) shipyard at [Leith](/source/Leith) to be repaired.{{cite book |title=April Folly|last=Wilson |first=A.|page=5 }} She was sold by [auction](/source/auction) in 1920 for [£](/source/Pound_Sterling)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](/source/British_and_Irish_Steam_Packet_Company). Her port of registry was [Dublin](/source/Dublin). ''Brugge'' was renamed ''Lady Brussels'' in 1922. She was used on the [Preston](/source/Preston%2C_Lancashire) – [Dublin](/source/Dublin) route, serving until 1929. In May 1929 she was scrapped by Smith & Co, [Port Glasgow](/source/Port_Glasgow). In 1920, the {{convert|10317|ft|m}} high [Brussels Peak](/source/Brussels_Peak) in Canada ({{coord|51|31|00|N|117|49|20|W}}) was named in honour of the ship.{{cite peakfinder|id=176|name=Brussels Peak|access-date=10 December 2009}} A [ship's bell](/source/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](/source/Harwich_Guildhall) in April 1950.{{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}} ==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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SS Brussels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Brussels) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Brussels?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.