Built as a destroyer under yard No 851 by Thornycroft, Woolston near Southampton for the Royal Navy.
09 December 1915 keel laid down.
25 November 1916 launched under the name RADIANT one of the R class of which 62 were built on diverse British yards.
Displacement 1.035 tons standard, 84 x 8.2 x 3.0m. (draught).
Powered by two geared Brown Curtis steam turbines, 27.000shp. speed 36 knots.
Range 3.440 miles by a speed of 15 knots.
Armament 3 – 4inch QF, 1 – 2pdr pom-pom AA gun. 4 – 21 inch torpedo tubes.
Crew 62.
28 February 1917 completed.
After commissioned joined the 10th Destroyer Flotilla and used for patrol and convoy duties in the Northsea and Strait of Dover.
23 December 1917 was she one of the Harwich force who sailed out together with 7 other destroyers under which the HMS SURPRISE, TORRENT and TORNADO to meet a Dutch convoy off Maas light buoy.
The TORRENT struck a mine at 03.15 am when picking up men from the water from HMS VALKYRIE who hit a mine and the crew had abandoned the vessel.
The TORRENT sunk rapidly with the loss of 98 men, only 7 men were rescued.
The SURPRISE came to her aid but he hit also a mine at 03.21am, she broke up and sank within 3 minutes with the loss 54 men, 49 were saved by the RADIANT the third destroyer the TORNADO when picking up survivors hit also a mine at 3.30am she was lost with the loss of 82 men only 18 men were saved.
The RADIANT was still afloat and Comdr. Geffrey F. S. Nash ordered his ship to the position were the crews of the lost vessels were struggling to keep afloat in the ice-cold water.
The crew lowered the boats and many men were rescued by the crew of the RADIANT.
The minefield was laid by the Germans in the night of 11/12 December.
21 June 1920 sold to Thornycroft for resale to Siam (Thailand).
September 1920 sold to the Thailand Navy for £300.000 and renamed PHRA RUANG.
11 October 1920 commissioned in the Royal Thailand Navy.
Of her career under the flag of Thailand I could not find much, she was still afloat during World War II when Thailand was an ally of Japan, but she was mostly used as a training ship, and did not take part in any action.
1957 Scrapped at that time she was one of the last destroyers of the R Class.
On the stamp is also depict HRH Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880 – 1923) the PHRA RUANG sailed under his command from the U.K. to Thailand.
Thailand 1998 2b sg2038, scott1811
Source: British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era 1860-1919 by David Hepper. Wikipedia and other web-sites.