Brussels was a passenger ferry built in 1902 for the British Great Eastern Railway. In 1915, she tried to ram U-33. The ship was captured by Germany in 1916 and her captain, Charles Fryatt was executed after the Germans discovered his deed. 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.