The Nieuwe Gorinchemse Courant dated 24 June 1922 published an item reporting that the launching at the shipyard N.V. IJsselwerf of the government steamship Sirius was planned on Thursday morning between 10.00-1.00 o’clock. The newspaper Nieuwsblad voor Gorinchem en Omstreken dated Friday 30 June reported indeed the launching a day earlier. The ship measured 93,6 tons with the dimensions 58,74 x 9,52 x 4,28 (hold) metres. She had a main deck, bridge deck and a forecastle deck. The expansion engine was manufactured by the factory IJsselwerf at Utrecht and which supplied 900 ihp by 150 rpm and with the two steam boilers each of 135M2 surface allowing a speed of 12 miles. She was fitted out with a complete equipment for electric lightning and wireless telegraphy. Except for the turbo dynamo was above the last line a diesel motor dynamo placed as reserve. She was fitted out with a complete cooling equipment and a victuals- and ammunition hold.
The newspaper Nieuwsblad voor Gorinchem en Omstreken dated Friday 20 October 1922 published an item reporting that in 1922 two ships at the shipyard N.V. IJsselwerf at Gorinchem were built for the department of colonies. The first one called Sirius was launched on 29 June but on 20 October still not completed. The second one called Wega was launched in the morning of the Saturday before at 11.10 o’clock. To prevent problems was her sister ship transport to the refugee harbour of the Merwede Canal. Afterwards was the Sirius brought alongside the Wega. The Sirius was already fitted out with masts, funnel, main deck. Both ships were of similar size and capacity. During the launching of the Wega were present the board of the shipyard, burgomaster and aldermen and other authorities. There were no navy head officers present, they were present at the inauguration of the navy statue at Den Helder. The edition dated 5 January 1923 reported that had on 7 and 8 December 1922 her trials on the Haringvliet in the presence of a navy commission were successful. She was now completed and fitted out for the voyage to the Dutch East Indies.
The Nieuwe Gorinchemse Courant dated Wednesday 17 January reported that Saturday afternoon the minister of navy Z.E.E.P. Westerveld accompanied by his adjutant lieutenant 1st class F. Diephuis visited the shipyard and the ship. The minister had a very good impression of the ship. Last Monday was she officially handed over to the department of navy. Her engines and boilers and most of the auxiliary engine parts were manufactured by the N.V. Machinefabriek ‘Utrecht’ at Utrecht.
The edition dated 21 March reported that the trials of the Wega on the Haringvliet off Hellevoetsluis on 16 March were successful. The engines manufactured by the N.V. Machinefabriek ‘Utrecht’ at Utrecht (1) supplied around 950 ihp by 156 rpm allowing with a draught of 3,10 metres a medium speed of 12,28 knots. On 31 March was reported that lieutenant 2nd class A.G. Vromans was transferred to Gorinchem to supervise the fitting out for her voyage towards the Dutch East Indies. The edition dated Saturday 21 April reported her arrival last Tuesday at Hellevoetsluis coming from Gorinchem for victuals and other stores. On Wednesday afternoon left she via Hellevoetsluis commanded by lieutenant 1st class J.J. Hilbron via Flushing towards the Dutch East Indies.
The Sirius was scuttled by her own crew on 28 February 1942 in the harbour of Tandjong Priok and her sister ship Wega lost after being heavily damaged by Japanese aircraft while lying on the roads of Olehleh on 26 January 1942. She tried to escape but her along the coast was her crew forced to disembark the burning ship.
Note
1. In 1927 called in her annual report over 1926 N.V. “IJsselwerf”, Scheepsbouwmaatschappij en Machinefabriek te Utrecht.
