The naval architect FG Ritchie, of Ritchie & Bisset, Singapore, designed the ship, and Ramage & Ferguson of Leith built her. The Ranee of Sarawak launched her on 10 November 1927, and she was completed in February 1928.[1] The ship sailed from Leith for Singapore on 17 April 1928.[2][3]
Her registered length was 240.7 ft (73.4 m), her beam was 41.3 ft (12.6 m), her depth was 16.1 ft (4.9 m), and her draught was 16 ft 2+3⁄4 in (4.95 m). Her tonnages were 1,670 GRT and 713 NRT.[4] Cargo was handled by two three-ton cranes at each hatch, and one 20-ton derrick.[1]
Vyner Brooke was flush-decked, with 'tween decks, all sheathed in 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) steel, with six watertight bulkheads. The main deck was as clear as possible of structures, for deck passenger use with accommodations forward for crew and aft for stewards, clerks and ship's boys. The refrigeration plant, designed to keep the cold store two degrees below freezing, was on the main deck. First class cabins amidships on the upper deck provided berths for 44 passengers, with a 40 ft × 24 ft (12.2 m × 7.3 m) saloon forward of the cabins. A staircase at the after end of the saloon led to a shade deck and two de luxe cabins and a private sitting room. The ship was equipped with wireless telegraphy. She carried lifeboats, rafts and lifebelts for 650 people and could carry at least 200 deck passengers.[1]
She had six corrugated furnaces with a combined grate area of 124 square feet (12 m2) that heated two single-ended Barclay, Curle & Co. boilers with a combined heating surface of 4,390 square feet (408 m2). These fed steam at 180 lbf/in2 to a three-cylinder triple expansion steam engine built by Ramage and Ferguson. The engine was rated at 297 NHP and drove twin screws.[4][1]
Royal Navy requisition
When Japan entered World War II the Royal Navy requisitioned Vyner Brooke. She was painted grey, and armed with a four-inch deck gun forward, two Lewis guns aft, and depth charges, and commissioned as HMS Vyner Brooke.[5] Her Australian and British officers were mostly Malay Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, and were asked to remain aboard.[6] The ship's company, under the command of her peacetime captain, Richard E Borton, was augmented by reservists, some survivors of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse, and European and Malay professional seafarers.[5]
Crabb, Brian (2006). Beyond the Call of Duty. The Loss of British Commonwealth Mercantile and Service Women at Sea During the Second World War. Donington: Shaun Tyas. ISBN1-900289-66-0.
Foo, Vincent HK; Chin, Chai Foh (2001). Story of The Sarawak Steamship Company. Kuching: The Sarawak Steamship Co. ISBN9834070705.
Laxon, WA (2004). The Straits Steamship Fleets. Kuching: The Sarawak Steamship Co. ISBN9834070713.
