HMS Amethyst U-16 / F-116 |
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Message Board |
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Messages 1 to 25 |
25. THE GLORIOUS STORY OF H.M.S. AMETHYST, The Official Report Produced By The Navy League In Co-operation With The Admiralty. Entry concerning HMS Concord; 'Two and a half hours later she reported " Woosung in sight" and shortly afterwards she made contact with HMS Concord, who was waiting for her just off the mouth of the river. Here she made her last and most famous signal 'Have rejoined fleet no damage or casualties'. Thus is the insulting and mythical story of the event continued by those believing the lies put out by the government and naval spokesmen of the day. It has now been admitted by the present day authorities that HMS Concord proceeded forty miles up the dangerous waters of the Yangtze river in order to help protect HMS Amethyst from the known guns at Woosung and possibly elsewhere. Action stations continued for a further hour and fifty minutes before it was considered safe to stand down. The story of the Amethyst is indeed glorious but please also let the full true story be known. Derek Hodgson |
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24. Aug. 28, 2009 I am trying to ascertain if Derek Arthur Cook served on HMS Amethyst. I am led to believe by one of his RN friends that Derek joined HMS Ganges in November 1945 and was in the Drake 201 class. Later, in 1948, he is said to have arrived in Shanghai on HMS Amethyst and was one of the ship's company to reach safety overland. When I made his acquaintance in the 1970s' he was employed as a radio operator at the Scarborough Admiralty Wireless Station, later known as CSOS Irton Moor. He never talked about HMS Amethyst but certainly had a lot to say about early days as a boy at HMS Ganges! He did present me with a First Day Cover dated 20th April 1989 commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Yangtze Incident (see below). Your web site carries a Roll of Honour for the crew of HMS Amethyst and they deserve prominence in our thoughts. But I am surprised that I can't find a FULL list of the crew. Surely this must be well documented. Derek A. Cook died here in Scarborough on the 7th March 1999. I attended his funeral. I would be grateful if you could tell me if Derek was on the Amethyst or where I can find a complete list of the ship's crew members. Yours sincerely, Kenneth Carling, Scarborough, England |
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Reply
Aug. 30, 2009 Your friend D.A. Cook served on board AMETHYST in 1949 and was one of those put ashore on 20 April when AMETHYST lay aground and under fire from the Communists. We landed men then to save lives. I am sure Bob Stone and Jack French both Telegraphist on board AMETHYST will remember Mr Cook. If you give me your address I will send them your details. I do not think either of them are on the internet. Regards, Stewart Hett |
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Could anyone kindly advise me whether C/KX 101699 Sto. Mech. T. Main (who received the Yangtze 1949 clasp to his NGS Medal) served on HMS Amethyst? |
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Reply 1 Aug. 4, 2009 He is not on my list, but with a C/KX number he would be a Chatham rating probably from London. I will pass your message to the LONDON Association. Regards, Stewart Hett |
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I am trying to obtain more information regarding my father Albert Rimmington who I think served on the Amethyst as a gunner during the Yangtze incident. I have various photos of my father during this time and would be glad to share with anyone who is interested. I would love to make contact with any surviving crewmen who served with my father at this time. Unfortunately Albert Rimmington died of a heart attack whilst playing hockey in 1968, I was 13 yrs old so my knowledge of him is brief and I would like to find out as much as possible about what he was like when he served on the Amethyst. I would be grateful of any contacts who may help. Kind regards, |
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Reply 1 July 29, 2009 I served with your Father on board HMS AMETHYST in 1949, though I do not now remember him very well. I have lots of pictures taken in 1949, but I am afraid I would not be able to pick out your Father. I will pass your message to some other members of the AMETHYST Association who might have good memories of Albert Rimmington. Sincerely, Stewart Hett |
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My Uncle's brother was George Winter (D/SSX 818706) who served on the Amethyst. He sustained wounds and died on the 22nd April. I know my Uncle was distraught when the UK Government dropped its investigation into the 'missing' graves. Although I have learnt that this information is now wrong and the graves are situated within Pan-Yu Park. I have however offered to see if I could find out any information concerning his brother. If anyone knew him and could offer any memories or pictures they can share I would very much appreciate it. Yours sincerely, |
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Reply 1, Aug. 12, 2013 I've just been watching Yangtze Incident for the umpteenth time and have been captivated by the story since I was a boy. Whilst working in Blackpool in the late 1960's I met the mother of George Winter. She described in detail how she had a premonition of Georges death. I don't think she ever got over it. Mike Coyle |
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My daughter works in a local nursing home where one of the residents she is extremely friendly with is one Ernest Crossman. She has become firm friends with Ernie and he has recently shown her a plaque of the ships crest and a photograph of the ship and crew. She would like to do something for him and we are thinking of printing as many photographs and such information as we can find and would like to know if his name is on the crew list for the period of the Yangtze incident and if so, would you please give us permission to take copies of some of the crew photographs from your website? Also, as he is having speech trouble, she in particular would be grateful for any memories your members would have about him. Thanking you in anticipation, |
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An open letter to the survivors of the of HMS Amethyst during the 'Yangtze Incident'. |
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Reply 1 Sept. 26, 2010 I refer to Derek Hodgson's open letter dated 18 May 2009 to the survivors of HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident concerning the role of HMS Concord in the operation. My father, John Gordon Roe, was Jimmy of Concord during the incident, (serving at the same time as Mr Hodgson). I, and my three brothers are therefore no strangers to the actual part Concord played in going up river to meet Amethyst, turning and escorting her out of the Yangtze river. My father told of the pride he and the rest of Concord's ship's company felt at being tasked to meet the Amethyst, and successfully doing so. Clearly at the time there were political considerations (official secrets/a bit of gun-boat diplomacy), that he could not talk to us about but the basic facts were as told. Now Mr Hodgson - who was also there - and other members of Concord have unearthed details of all the subsequent actions taken to suppress all record of Concord's role. One of my brothers and I had the honour of attending the Concord Association's decommissioning ceremonies in Portsmouth in May. Two things really impressed me when meeting and talking to the old ship mates, one was that they all said that Concord had always been a very happy ship. The second was the sadness that was felt about the continuing lack of recognition of the task that Concord had been set and successfully accomplished in July 1949. Yesterday by chance I read Mr Hodgson's letter seeking some support from Amethyst veterans. I was very surprised to find that there was not one single reply or comment. Is there really no-one who can remember, or is willing to help put the record straight before it is too late? We would be very grateful to hear from you. Thank you, Kirstie Gordon Roe Trebes, France |
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My wife and I have been trying to find information regarding my Father, Leslie Harrison, who was an Able Seaman on board HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze incident in 1949. We have been unable to find confirmation that he was on board. Leslie died 13 years ago and since my mother died this year we have been looking further into this piece of history in our family. Leslie's Official No. was JX398554, Port Division, Devonport. |
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The 60th Anniversary of the Yangtze Incident Dear friends, This is a very significant year for the Amethyst Association, and as such there are a number of On Thursday April 23rd a small number of Members are being invited to a special reception being held at Best regards, Trudy
Sampson |
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I have just acquired the medals of D/SSX 818663 R. T. Davies Ordinary Seaman RN. His group comprises NGS Medal with Bar Yangtze 1949, Korea Named to R. T. DAVIES and the UN Korea Medal unnamed. The medals are genuine as Seaman Davies is listed in the book "The Glorious Seven HMS Amethysts 1793 - 1956" by George Hickingbottom who I understand was a member of the crew. I am a collector of Medals (not a dealer) and I am truly honored that I have this group in my collection. What I am endeavoring to do is put a file together on R. T. Davies and I wonder if there is any where I can find out what his job was on the ship and any other information. My thanks, |
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My Uncle was on the Amethyst. His name is Thomas Aldridge and he was on board during the Yangtze Incident. Until recently he has been in contact with a Jack Bryson but his mail is now being returned and my Uncle doesn't know what has happened to him. |
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I enjoyed reading this site - it recalled the stories my step grandfather used to tell me about the Yangtze incident as a boy. He was Evan Jones (from Tottenham) and was either an Artificer or may have been a Petty Officer. He had a number of apocryphal (?) tales of getting his majesty's vessels back up and running by such means as splicing foil from the crews' cigarette packs to make replace fuses. Whether he was part of the crew or not, following the affair he was rather against sausages on account of the chinese suggesting they were made of rats and dogs during their enforced stay on the river. |
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13. Feb. 22, 2009 It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Jack Day. He Crossed the Bar ten days ago. Jack assisted Jim Bryson on the Echo-sounder during their escape down the Yangtze River July 1949. Charlie Chivers Amethyst Association |
12. My father, Ronald George Richards, was a member of the Amethyst association and served on the Amethyst at the time of the Yangtze Incident. Sadly he passed away in July 2006. |
Reply Richards was wounded in April 1949 and was amongst those landed from the ship and taken to Shanghai for treatment and evacuation to Hong Kong. Richards was a member of the AMETHYST Association and attended some of our Reunions. |
I have just read the true story of HMS Concord by William Leitch RN (HMS Consort) and the true story it played in escorting HMS Amethyst. My father served on HMS Concord at the time of the incident, he was a radar operator. His name was R.C.R CATT JX760425. |
RE: message dated January 31, 2008 by Steven Nicholls. Where it states; "The PM T. Blaire, was given misleading information in the year 2002 and he believed what the Chinese told him that a factory was built on top of the graves." Michael, do yourself a favour and delete that item from your site. The people that brought that story back to Britain, were members of the Amethyst Association, that went out to Shanghai, where they visited the British Embassy, and that's where they got the story that they brought back. I am sending to you two links from my website, acquaint yourself with the material in both links, then if you so wish put your own story together. |
Please can anyone help me. As far as I know my father was a member of the crew of the Amethyst during the Yangtze incident but I cannot confirm this, I would appreciate any help or input regarding my fathers service during this incident. His Name was Albert Ernest Stephen Mepstead, known as Bert I believe. My thoughts are with all the crew members who served on the Amethyst during this time. Thank you for any help you can give |
Reply 1 The quick answer is that Mepstead's name does not appear on the list of names of those serving on board AMETHYST in 1949, nor in the list of names serving on board during the Korean War. I do not have any list of the ship's company in 1943 to 1947, he may have been on board then. |
Reply 2 Now back from our Annual Reunion. I was unable to identify the people in the photo. One person thought that |
I am writing on behalf of the Quirindi and District Historical Society. We have been shown the attached piece of work for identification. The woman knows nothing about it except that it has been in her Mothers possession for some time. We have identified the flags as Royal Navy flags and the coat of arms as the Royal Coat of Arms. She knows of an uncle, her mother's brother, who served on HMS Amethyst and his surname was Tanner, but doesn't know when he served on the ship and we are wondering if he was involved in the Yangtze incident and if this patchwork was made during this time. |
Reply 1 Sept. 4, 2008 The name "Tanner" does not appear on our crew list for the Yangtze Incident. In all probabilities he was a wartime member of the crew. You could check his service records, M.O.D .site. Best Wishes, Charlie Chivers RN Amethyst Association |
Amethyst Reunion Announcement |
6. July 3, 2008 My Father, now in his late 70's, says that he served on the Amethyst as a junior seaman and swam ashore under fire from the Chinese..dads mind is starting to go through a mixture of old age and alcohol. I have in my possession his certificate of qualification for Auxiliary Machinery Course for Stoker Mechanics signed on Jan. 6th 1942 and I cannot make out the signatures. It looks like J S EAST /LAST or even J B. The commanding officers name is B ???L/CMDR. Dads number was D/KX 778123 I also have various other papers including the History Sheet for Stoker Ratings confirming he was on Amethyst on 6/1/49. Again I cannot make out the signature. Are you able to shed any light on this subject as we the family would like to know if he is/was eligible for any award. Many thanks, Andrew Hustler |
Reply 1 The name HUSTLER does not appear on the Amethyst crew list during the Yangtze Incident. His Official Number indicates that he joined the RN after WW2. The "D" means his Port Division was Devonport, and the K/X that he was a Stoker. If you write to the address below they can supply more information. |
5. My grandfather James McClean served on the HMS Amethyst in 1949, he was only 17yrs |
My mother in law has recently been taken into hospital in east London, after being very ill and unable to understand what was going on. She has told us that she was awoke one night to find a seamen standing in her room. The hat the man had on had H.M.S Amethyst on it, strange I know, but would you know if any of those brave souls came from this area. |
Amethyst Reunion 19-21 September 2008 at Coventry, contact
Eric Mustoe Tel 01213 784618. |
My father was CPO R. Nicholls seriously wounded at the helm of Amethyst and taken ashore off Rose Island with many other wounded. Many had to swim ashore under sniper fire some did not make it. |
I must express my gratitude and thanks to Lt. Commander Hett, for publishing the photographs of "Simons" grave and my wreath (I am Bob), placed there on the day of the re dedication of the PDSA Animal Cemetery at Ilford, on December 13th 2007. The existence of the "MaritimeQuest" site was, until recently an unknown |
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Page published Oct. 5, 2007 |