Yangtze Showdown Read online

  Watson, Thomas, Leading Seaman

  Webb, John, Petty Officer

  Williams, William, Able Seaman

  Men who stayed on board until Amethyst’s escape:

  Augustyns, Denis, Leading Stoker Mechanic

  Bannister, Samuel, Stoker Mechanic

  Bell, David, Able Seaman

  Blomley, Hugh, Electrician

  Brown, Arthur, Stoker Mechanic

  Bryson, James, Able Seaman

  Cavill, George, Cook (S)

  Chare, Lionel, Electrical Artificer 4th Class

  Connor, Leonard, Petty Officer Stoke Mechanic

  Day, Jack, Able Seaman

  Delve, Kenneth, Ordinary Seaman

  Donnelly, Malachy, Electrician’s Mate 1st Class

  Fearnley, Michael, Flight Lieutenant (joined ship 21 April)

  Fellows, Albert, Stoker Mechanic

  Frank, Leslie, Petty Officer

  Freeman, William, Petty Officer

  French, Jack, Telegraphist

  Garfitt, William, Leading Seaman

  Garns, Albert, Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic

  Grazier, Bernard, Ordinary Seaman

  Griffiths, George, Petty Officer Cook (S)

  Harris, Henry, Ordinary Seaman

  Hartness, George, Leading Seaman

  Hawkins, Charles, Stoker Mechanic

  Hett, Stewart, Lieutenant

  Holloway, Eric, Mechanic 1st Class

  Horton, Sydney, Boy 1st Class

  Hutchinson, Roland, Able Seaman

  Irwin, Vernon, Electrician

  Jones, Donald, Able Seaman

  Jones, John, Ordinary Seaman

  Jones, Peter, Ordinary Seaman

  Kay, Raymond, Able Seaman

  Keicher, Charles, Able Seaman

  Kerans, John, Lieutenant Commander (joined ship 22 April)

  Logan, George, Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic

  Macdonald, Duncan, Leading Stoker Mechanic

  MacNamara, John, NAAFI manager

  Maddocks, George, Stoker Mechanic

  Martin, Keith, Boy 1st Class

  McCarthy, John, Stores Petty Officer

  McCullough, Raymond, Able Seaman

  McGlashen, Ian, Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class

  McLean, James, Able Seaman

  Mitchell, Robert, Able Seaman

  Munson, Ernest, Ordinary Seaman

  Murphy, Jeramiah, Chief Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic

  Murphy, John, Ordinary Seaman

  Nolan, James, Ordinary Seaman

  Ormrod, Thomas, Leading Stoker Mechanic

  Parish, Colin, Boy 1st Class

  Parnell, Wilfred, Boy 1st Class

  Paul, George, Electrician’s Mate 1st Class

  Pearce, Albert, Stoker Mechanic

  Ray, John, Ordinary Seaman

  Rees, Trevor, Ordnance Artificer 4th Class

  Roberts, Dennis, Ordinary Seaman

  Rutter, Jack, Leading Radio Electrical Mechanic

  Saunders, Eric, Able Seaman

  Shaw, Bernard, Boy 1st Class

  Smith, William, Shipwright 4th Class

  Strain, George, Lieutenant Commander (L)

  Townsend, Thomas, Able Seaman

  Venton, William, Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic

  Walker, Jack, Able Seaman

  Wells, Richard, Able Seaman

  White, Alfred, Petty Officer

  Williams, Albert, Ordinary Seaman

  Williams, Leonard, Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class

  Wilson, Denis, Able Seaman

  Winfield, Kenneth, Stoker Mechanic

  Wright, Gordon, Able Seaman

  A total of about fourteen Chinese – stewards, cooks, tailors, laundrymen – were on board when Amethyst was attacked

  Appendix 3: Casualties for Consort, London and Black Swan

  Killed or died of wounds:

  Consort

  Akhurst, John, Petty Officer Telegraphist

  Gifford, Raymond, Stoker Mechanic

  Gurney, Maurice, Chief Petty Officer

  Hutton, Christopher, Able Seaman

  Iredale, Dennis, Ordinary Telegraphist

  Jenkinson, Sidney, Ordinary Seaman

  Moir, William, Leading Seaman

  Morton, Albert, Petty Officer

  Theay, Charles, Ordinary Seaman

  Tobin, John, Electrician’s Mate

  London

  Arkell, James, Leading Seaman

  Ellwood, Arthur, Able Seaman

  Fisher, William, Marine

  Foley, James, Able Seaman

  Grice-Hutchinson, Charles, Lieutenant Commander

  Harrison, Edgar, Able Seaman

  Jarvis, Lawrence, Marine

  Jones, Sidney, Ordinary Seaman

  Lane, John, Ordinary Seaman

  Pullin, William, Able Seaman

  Roper, Alec, Petty Officer

  Shelton, Harry, Able Seaman

  Stowers, Patrick, Chief Petty Officer Writer

  Walsingham, Stanley, Ordinary Seaman

  Warwick, Geoffrey, Ordinary Seaman

  Wounded:

  Consort

  Adams, K, Leading Signalman

  Addis, A, Telegraphist

  Attridge, C, Able Seaman

  Bevan, P, Leading Seaman

  Brewer, J, Boy 1st Class

  Brown, J, Electrician

  Butcher, G, Stoker Mechanic

  Chambers, W, Leading Stoker Mechanic

  Cox, K, Leading Telegraphist

  Davies, L, Stoker Mechanic

  Donaldson, A, Petty Officer Cook

  Duffin, L, Ordinary Seaman

  Flanagan, F, Stoker Mechanic

  Fleet, W, Able Seaman

  Ford, S, Ordinary Seaman

  Greening, H, Petty Officer

  Holdsworth, P, Leading Signalman

  Robertson, I, Commander

  Rose, S, Leading Stoker Mechanic

  Tootell, J, Able Seaman

  Williams, W, Able Seaman

  London

  Banfield, Robert, Stores Assistant

  Bansall-Allan, Frederick, Petty Officer

  Barnard, G, Marine

  Barwick, A, Boy

  Bayes, V, Ordinary Seaman

  Blenkin, T, Leading Writer

  Brewer, C, Ordinary Seaman

  Brewis, C, Able Seaman

  Brown, J, Ordinary Seaman

  Cazalet, Peter, Captain

  Clark, Edwin, Able Seaman

  Dalrymple-Kelly, J, Sergeant

  Deeks, H, Marine

  Gale, A, Chief Petty Officer

  Hall, C, Ordinary Seaman

  Head, J, Marine

  Hipwell, William, Petty Officer Airman

  How, B, Marine

  Ingham, Robert, Sub Lieutenant

  Main, T, Stoker

  McCarthy, R, Marine

  Meikle, R, Able Seaman

  Melia, T, Able Seaman

  Morris, Stuart, Stores Assistant

  Pearce, L, Able Seaman

  Pike, Ronald, Stoker Mechanic

  Piper, E, Stoker Mechanic

  Prescott, Walter, Able Seaman

  Pulling, R, Leading Writer

  Sabin, Charles, Able Seaman

  Searle, G, Marine

  Spence, W, Able Seaman

  Warr, Norman, Marine

  Watts, R, Boy

  Wells, James, Mechanic 1st Class

  Wilmhurst, Edwin, Petty Officer Writer

  Wilson, A, Able Seaman

  Black Swan

  Dickson, A, Ordinary Telegraphist

  Esplin, K, Boy 1st Class

  Fowler, G, Ordinary Seaman

  McKenzie, T, Telegraphist

  Potter, A, Boy 1st Class

  Reeves, M, Ordinary Seaman

  Tincombe, D, Boy 1st Class

  Appendix 4: Awards

  Awards to Amethyst

  Distinguished Service Order

  Lieutenant Commander John Kerans

  Bar to Distinguished Service Cross

  Lieutenant Geoffrey W
eston

  Distinguished Service Cross

  Lieutenant Peter Berger

  Flight Lieutenant Michael Fearnley RAF

  Member of the Order of the British Empire

  Lieutenant Commander (L) George Strain

  Distinguished Service Medal

  Acting Petty Officer Leslie Frank

  Telegraphist Jack French

  Engine Room Artificer Leonard Williams

  Mention in Despatches

  Surgeon Lieutenant John Alderton (posthumously)

  Electrical Artificer Lionel Chare

  Petty Officer William Freeman

  Lieutenant Stewart Hett

  Stores Petty Officer John McCarthy

  Boy 1st Class Keith Martin

  Lieutenant Commander Bernard Skinner (posthumously)

  Ordinary Seaman Reginald Wright (posthumously)

  Awards to Consort

  Distinguished Service Order

  Commander Ian Robertson

  Distinguished Service Medal

  Leading Stoker Mechanic Tony Johnson

  Chief Petty Officer Henry Robinson (awarded the George Medal in 1942)

  Mention in Despatches

  Ordinary Seaman Ivan Bennett-Bound

  Lieutenant William Bonner

  Able Seaman Albert McKee

  Acting Leading Telegraphist Robert Miller

  Awards to London

  Bar to Distinguished Service Order

  Captain Peter Cazalet

  Distinguished Service Cross

  Commissioned Gunner Reginald Smith

  Distinguished Service Medal

  Able Seaman Alan Dudley

  Bandmaster Frederick Harwood

  Mention in Despatches

  Chief Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic Henry Fletcher

  Corporal William Hart

  Chief Petty Officer Thomas Learmouth

  Chief Writer Patrick Stowers (posthumously)

  Surgeon Commander Wilfred Taylor

  Awards to Black Swan

  Mention in Despatches

  Ordinary Seaman Graham Fowler

  Commander Richard Hare

  Surgeon Lieutenant William Owen

  Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist Reginald Stovell

  (Awards announced in The London Gazette of 6 May, 5 August and 1 November 1949.)

  Appendix 5: Timeline of Main Events

  Edited version of timeline compiled by Lieutenant Commander John Kerans. Some of the times before he joined Amethyst are approximate.

  19 April 1949

  0800 Amethyst leaves Holt’s Wharf, Shanghai.

  1632 Anchors Kiangyin for the night.

  20 April

  0510 Amethyst weighs and proceeds up river.

  0638 Anchors due to fog.

  0734 Ship weighs and proceeds up river.

  0836 Under fire from starboard side. Jacks unfurled. Battle ensign hoisted at masthead.

  0850 Firing ceases. Ship not hit.

  0930 Under fire from starboard beam and hit.

  0935 Ship runs aground on Rose Island and still under heavy fire. Commanding officer and almost all bridge and wheelhouse personnel killed or seriously wounded. First lieutenant, Weston, though seriously wounded assumes command.

  1000 Lieutenant Weston orders all life-saving equipment to be lowered and ship to be evacuated to the south bank.

  1015 Medical officer and sick berth attendant killed.

  1100 All confidential books are burnt and confidential equipment destroyed. Main steam shut down.

  1115 Sniping at ship.

  1430 Consort in sight. Unable to tow off Amethyst and continues down river.

  1700 Nationalist soldiers offer assistance in evacuating wounded. Offer not taken as it is hoped to refloat ship and proceed Nanking.

  1930 Raised steam.

  2245 In W/T communication with Hong Kong. Discharged oil fuel and lightened ship.

  21 April

  0015 Ship refloated.

  0045 Under small-arms fire from north bank.

  0130 Ship anchors.

  0915 Nationalist army personnel arrive on board to offer medical assistance.

  1000 Lieutenant Commander Kerans and assistant military attaché Lieutenant Colonel Dewar-Durie leave Nanking by road for Chingkiang.

  1045 Nationalist naval craft offers assistance. Not taken as London due 1130.

  1130 Ship weighs ready for London’s arrival with Black Swan.

  1150 Ship anchors. Opposition too heavy for ships to reach Amethyst. About 50 ratings leave Wutsin by train for Shanghai.

  1330 Kerans and Dewar-Durie reach Chingkiang.

  1530 Nationalist army medical officer and two orderlies arrive on board.

  1630 Sunderland aircraft lands near ship and is fired on. RAF medical officer only and a few supplies reach ship. Gunner Monaghan caught in aircraft, which returns to Shanghai. Ship shifts berth.

  1800 Kerans and Dewar-Durie reach Tachiang village.

  1830 Nationalist medical officer leaves ship to arrange evacuation of wounded.

  2130 He returns to ship with sampans.

  2200 Evacuation of wounded begins.

  2350 Kerans and Dewar-Durie with medical team reach coast. Communists cross Yangtze and land to east of Kiangyin during the night.

  22 April

  0100 Kerans and Dewar-Durie leave the coast by sampan to board Amethyst. Last of the wounded except first lieutenant leave ship.

  0130 Amethyst moves further up river. Kerans and Dewar-Durie unable to reach ship and return Tachiang.

  0235 Ship anchors and is immediately fired upon, this time by Nationalists. Shifts berth again one mile down river.

  0345 On shore Lieutenant Commander Skinner and one able seaman succumb to their wounds.

  0510 Fourteen seriously wounded men and medical party leave Tachiang for Chingkiang in lorries.

  0715 Kerans and Dewar-Durie return to Chingkiang.

  0830 Wounded reach Chingkiang.

  1000 Wounded arrive at station. Train late.

  1100 Four more wounded reach station.

  1210 Train leaves for Shanghai.

  1315 Sunderland aircraft lands near Amethyst and is fired upon. Aircraft returns Shanghai without disembarking anyone.

  1500 Kerans reaches Amethyst in Nationalist naval craft. Lieutenant Weston evacuated to Chingkiang mission hospital. Dewar-Durie remains in Chingkiang.

  1534 Kerans ordered by Vice Admiral Madden to assume command of Amethyst.

  1630 Buried at anchor 17 dead (11 Church of England, five Roman Catholics and one Chinese).

  1800 Communist crossings reported to the east of Nanking. Rapid deterioration of situation.

  2010 Vice Admiral Madden signals to be prepared to evacuate Amethyst and sink her.

  2145 Preparations completed to beach and destroy ship.

  2200 Nationalist navy evacuate Chingkiang. Quiet night.

  23 April

  In fog at daylight.

  0900 Fog lifts. Nationalist forces in area withdrawn.

  1200 Communist activity on starboard side. Ship shifts down river two miles and meets accurate battery fire.

  1245 Anchors close to south bank. No hits.

  1500 Communist crossings ahead and astern unopposed. Vice Admiral Madden approves destruction of ship if no alternative and evacuation to Shanghai.

  2145 Chinese naval units pass down river. Heavy fire between ship and batteries.

  24 April

  Wardroom partially flooded and top weight jettisoned to right ship.

  1000 Ship on even keel.

  Diplomat Youde’s mission into Communist territory fails to achieve safe passage for Amethyst. Civilian junks appear free to move on river at will.

  25 April

  Communist troop movements in vicinity of ship. Make good damage and lessen fire risks.

  26 April

  Crossings ahead and astern of ship.

  1330 Three soldiers and two civilians on land endeavour to make ship send out boat. Thi
s is not possible.

  1515 Soldiers make further efforts. Decide to risk whaler as weather calm. Interview takes place with Communist major and a senior rating.

  27 April

  1200 Junk arrives with soldiers. Interview takes place ashore between Lieutenant Hett and a battery commander.

  1 May

  Clocks advanced one hour (zone 9).

  2 May

  1730 Interview takes place on board between Kerans and Communist officer from local garrison.

  3 May

  1200 Fresh eggs bartered for rice and flour as a result of help from local Communist soldiers.

  5 May

  AM Trader brings fresh potatoes and a request from local garrison commander for Chinese (Cantonese) on board to visit Chingkiang area commander.

  6 May

  PM Lieutenant Hett calls on local garrison commander to hasten safe conduct. Nothing learnt.

  8 May

  AM Local garrison commander visits Kerans. Coaxes ship’s Chinese to accept area commander’s request to go ashore next day. No news from Nanking.

  9 May

  Amethyst’s Chinese return from burial service on Chiso-shan Island. No reactions except all glad to be back.

  17 May

  Kerans has interview with local garrison commander on board. No result.

  18 May

  AM Lieutenant Hett visits local garrison commander to hasten interview with area commander.

  PM Kerans presented on board with PLA’s formal demands for settlement of Yangtze Incident.

  22 May

  PM Receive order from Admiral Brind to deliver personal message to General Yuan.

  24 May

  PM Kerans has first meeting with General Yuan and Colonel Kang. Safe conduct will not be given until Royal Navy takes responsibility for incident.

  25 May

  PLA return two wounded ratings, Bannister and Martin, to the ship. Both recovered.

  29 May

  Sam Leo, an interpreter at the British embassy, Nanking, joins Amethyst.

  31 May

  Kerans has meeting with Colonel Kang at village opposite ship. No progress.

  3 June

  Kerans has meeting with Colonel Kang on Silver Island. Deadlock.

  12 June

  Further meeting with Colonel Kang on Silver Island.

  15 June

  Meeting with Colonel Kang at village opposite ship.

  18 June

  Meeting with Colonel Kang, who is anxious for Admiral Brind’s views on previous meetings.

  20 June

  Meeting at Chingkiang headquarters with General Yuan. British side accused of insincerity and delaying tactics.

  22 June

  Further meetings at Chingkiang headquarters. General expresses opinion incident can be settled by an exchange of notes. Mail clearance for Shanghai granted.

  24 June