HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze incident
 

Would anyone be able to provide a full list of the ships company of HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze incident? I have searched the net, but to no avail.

Still looking for an Amethyst tally if anyone has one spare :D

Many thanks in advance,

Andrew

Appendix 15 in the current edition of British Battles and Medals shows Officers, Petty Officers and Ratings in HMS Amethyst from the 21st of April until the 31st of July 1949.

Thank you Frank, I will look into it.

Don't forget to include Simon, the ship's cat. Recipient of the Dickin Medal.

Yes of course. When my daughter was younger, she would delight in the heroics of Simon. I remember listening to a radio broadcast a couple of years ago (can't remember which station) and they were talking about the Dickin medal. Simon came up and they scoffed and asked what could a cat do!

Poor Simon died in November 1949.

Not wishing to hijack your thread, Andy, but feel compelled to add a mention of my Great Uncle, Leading Seaman, C/JX 804754 James Henry Arkell, who was killed during the Yangtze Incident, whilst serving in HMS London.

Attachment 273601 Attachment 273602 Attachment 273603

Jim's Naval Service Medal, seen here with Yangtze clasp.

Regards,

JT

Hi JT,

We have discussed your Great Uncle before, you must be incredibly proud.

It was only with the recent passing of my Father and the re discovery of his medals which included a Naval General Service medal (Clasp Brunei), which reminded me to re open a past project on the "Amethyst". I have managed to scrounge a loan of the book that Frank mentioned. Hopefully it will provide the information that I require.

N

Just out of interest, what is the tally that your uncle is wearing? Is it Pembroke?

I can't quite make it out, Andy. I'll look the actual photo out and get back to you. The image I posted here was taken from my family website, and so it's an image of an image, so to speak.

JT

HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident
 

My late-father also served in the London during the Yangtze incident. He was just a young Midshipman then.

During her attempt to reach the Amethyst the London received far more damage and many more casualties as a result of Chinese artillery fire than the Amethyst did throughout the entire time she was trapped. The dead from the London were buried in a cemetery in Shanghai which was later destroyed by the Chinese to build a shopping centre. No bodies were removed beforehand - the site was simply bulldozed.

In the film 'The Amethyst Incident' the original HMS Amethyst was used. She was laid up pending disposal at the time. As such the special effects people from the film were free to cause much more damage to her than the Chinese ever did! The film was made in the waters near HMS Ganges and many of the 'Chinese' soldiers seen in the film were actually young ratings from Ganges!

Pete

Thanks JT, I was just curious.

Thanks Pete,

That is terrible about the cemetery. Thank you for the additional information, "London" took a hammering and to a lesser extent "Consort" and "Black Swan" as well. My father joined Ganges a year after the film was made, so no chance of him being an extra!

I believe that would be the former cemetery located at Bubbling Well Road, Shanghai. The grave of a former Royal Marine VC holder, Edward Bamford VC DSO is located there. Shameful desecration.

So, I have had a look at the book that Frank mentioned above and it confirmed what I suspected.

Still looking far and Amethyst tally if anyone has a spare :cool: Consort and Black Swan as well :cool: :cool:

Thanks all,

Andrew