High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Rooseboom was a 1,035 ton Dutch steam ship owned by KPM (Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij or Royal Packet Navigation Co. of the Netherlands East Indies) built in 1926 by Rijkee & Co of Rotterdam. In February 1942 British Malaya and Singapore had surrendered to the Japanese Army. Over 100,000 British and Empire military personnel had become prisoners as well as thousands of civilians. A few thousand more were escaping to the nearby Netherlands East Indies and from there to Australia, Ceylon or India in any ship that could be found. Many of these ships were lost to Japanese attacks amongst the islands scattered around Sumatra and Java whilst attempting to escape. The Rooseboom under Captain M.C.A.Boon, was taking around 500 passengers (mainly British military personnel and civilians) from Padang to Colombo in Ceylon.