The Yangtze Incident
Chief Engine Room Artificer William James Beard Herbert Royal Navy
William James Herbert Beard
The Man William James Beard Herbert was born on 9th October 1903 in Reading, Berkshire, son of William, a Tailor and Eliza Martha nee Cheer, and had one younger brother, Donald born in 1909. By 1911 the family were living together with Eliza’s father William James Cheer at 17 Francis Street in Reading. Little is known about his early life except that he was a keen sportsman being part of the local YMCA Gym Squad, and a keen footballer playing for the Reading Temperance League and Redlands Factory Team during the 1920s. His civilian trade was a Fitter and Turner and his National Insurance Number BH599282C. William volunteered for the Royal Navy on 8th October 1930, a day before his 27th birthday starting his service on 20th for a period of four years with number MX48453. He won the General Efficiency Medal for new entries whilst at Royal Naval Barracks Chatham. He was described as being 5’.8” tall, with a 39¾” chest, brown hair and blue eyes with a fresh complexion with a scar over his left eye and an appendix scar. His home address was given as 57 Plains Avenue, Maidstone, Kent. William served aboard a number of ships and shore establishments during the next 30 years including, HMS Victory, HMS Pembroke - the name given to a number of shore barracks at Chatham, Harwich and on the Forth. It was commissioned in 1878, moved ashore in 1903 and paid off in 1983 - , also HMS Curlew, Achilles, Scarborough, Titania and York. During the second quarter of 1934 William married Florence Guise O’Reilly in Tonbridge Wells, Kent. Between July 1939 and August 1941 William served in HMS Sheffield; and was involved with the search and sinking of the Bismark. During this episode Sheffield was nearly torpedoed and sunk by Royal Navy Fairey Swordfish from the Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal, a case of mistaken identity, an aircrew member mistaking Sheffield for a German Battleship. Luckily for William and the crew faulty detonators had been fitted to all 11 torpedoes dropped, this, plus the expert seamanship of the Captain and crew saved her being sunk.
From September 1942 William served in Combined Operation Ships (HMS Copra), these covered many shore establishments throughout the United Kingdom and his attachments included HMS Dinosaur - the Flotilla Headquarters for Tank Landing Craft Training at Troon, Scotland, where he was assigned to the Landing Craft (Infantry) section. He also worked at HMS Northney - formerly a Warners Holiday camp but taken over by the Royal Navy during WWII. Hopetoun - a Copra training centre established at Port Edgar on the Firth of Forth during 1943, where British and Allied navies carried out training for the D-Day landings. HMS Lizard – a landing craft base established in summer 1942 as Butt’s Baltic Wharf, Portslade Basin, Shoreham, East Sussex, here he worked on the preparation of the top secret Landing Craft in preparation for the D-Day landings at Normandy. HMS Plinlimmon, Naval Party 4263, Roeseneath - a Naval Base located in the area of the Rosneath Peninsula, Argyll and Bute. Buchan Ness, and various postings back at Pembroke. For his War time service he was awarded the 1939-45, Atlantic and Africa Stars, Defence and War Medal 1939-45, followed by the Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 9th October 1945 for 15 years service. On 1st July 1948 William was drafted to the Cruiser HMS London, and as the senior Chief Petty Officer in the engine room saw action on the Yangtze River during the Chinese attack on HMS Amethyst; when he was in the damage control section. He later recounted to a reporter “We spent the time dealing with fires, checking damage, and filling up shell holes. It was certainly the worst ‘do’ that I have ever been in. It was really pretty hot at times. The outstanding feature was the morale of the young chaps who had never been in action before. It was fine”. He also spoke of his disappointment that his staff had felt when they learnt that the Amethyst had not escaped with the London. “We all she was with us when we returned, and did not know otherwise until the padre told us half an hour afterwards”. William served in London until 1st October 1949 and for the action on the Yangtze was awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp ‘Yangtze 1949’ on 26th April 1951. Following this he served once again in HMS Pembroke until he was released from the Royal Navy on 27th August 1952 aged 49. In later life William lived at 11 Brishing Lane, Maidstone with his wife and died in West Kent General Hospital on 22nd November 1979 aged 76 of carcinoma of the large bowel widespread metastases.
The Story The medals awarded to William James Beard Herbert were acquired on E-Bay in February 2013. A group containing a Naval General Service Medal with the Yangtze 1949 clasp long having been coveted. It was a particularly good group as it had a second named medal within the group, the Naval Long Service & Good Conduct. It was also of interest because of three photographs of the recipient, service records, and five associated, named sports medallions, which always add a slightly different dimension to any group. A certain amount of detail could be taken from William’s service records and ancestry.uk, to enable a brief biography to be constructed, and it is hoped that additional research may help to uncover more information in the future.
The Story The medals awarded to William James Beard Herbert were acquired on E-Bay in February 2013. A group containing a Naval General Service Medal with the Yangtze 1949 clasp long having been coveted. It was a particularly good group as it had a second named medal within the group, the Naval Long Service & Good Conduct. It was also of interest because of three photographs of the recipient, service records, and five associated, named sports medallions, which always add a slightly different dimension to any group. A certain amount of detail could be taken from William’s service records and ancestry.uk, to enable a brief biography to be constructed, and it is hoped that additional research may help to uncover more information in the future.
William James Beard Herbert's Collection of Sports Medalions from the 1920s
HMS London (C-69) was a member of the second group of the County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters; HMS Sussex, Shropshire, and Devonshire differed from the earlier group of Counties, (known as the Kent class), by having a smaller forward superstructure, which was positioned slightly further aft, and next to no armour plating. HMS London's career spanned over twenty years.
Interwar Career and Rebuild
London was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 23 February 1926, launched on 14 September 1927 and commissioned on 31 January 1929. London served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron until March 1939, and was the flagship of Admiral Max Horton during his time in command of 1st Cruisers. Her flag captain during this time was Henry Harwood. From 1936 she was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Charles Kennedy-Purvis (later Sir Charles) and on September 1st 1937 she and her sister ship Sussex made a week long goodwill visit to Venice, mooring opposite the Doges Palace. London and her sister ship Shropshire facilitated the evacuation of thousands of civilians from Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. From March 1939 she was under reconstruction at the Chatham Dockyard, and was much altered in appearance. Replacement of her machinery was considered, but later abandoned. She was given a new superstructure above the main deck and in many ways resembled a Colony class light cruiser. Her single 4" gun mounts were changed to twin mounts, several 20mm AA guns, and radar were added. In addition she was fitted with a 3½" cemented armoured belt, 8' deep down from the main armoured deck which covered the machinery spaces. The reconstruction work was finally completed in March 1941. The refit was planned to be implemented to other ships of the County class but due to wartime pressures no other ships were reconstructed.
Wartime Career
London was involved in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941. During this time at sea many cracks appeared in her upper deck and hull, due to the weight of the new superstructure causing stresses. She entered a commercial shipyard on the River Tyne in October 1941 and was under repair until February 1942. London then spent from October 1941 to November 1942 in the North Atlantic on convoy protection duties in the company of several US Navy warships. This time of operations in the heavy North Atlantic seas caused hull cracks and popped rivets in her lower hull resulting in the ship again going into the dry-dock in December 1942 for strengthening of the hull, fitting of newer and more refined radar, and more light anti-aircraft guns. This refit work successfully rectified her hull strength issues and was finished in May 1943, with the ship then ready for sea in July. After sea trials and ammunition onloading she was then assigned to operate off the South African coast, and then to the Indian Ocean Fleet for the rest of the war.
Postwar and the Amethyst Incident.
Following the Second World War, and being the Royal Navy's only modernized 8" gun cruiser, London was refitted for further service in early 1946 to allow her to serve in the postwar fleet. Following the refit she sailed for the far east in 1946 and served there for the next three years on the China Station. In the spring of 1949 the frigate Amethyst became trapped by advancing Communist Chinese forces up the Yangtze River. London sailed up the river as a show of strength in an attempt to help free the frigate. The Communist forces were not intimidated and took the cruiser under fire. London returned fire with her 8" and 4" guns, firing several hundred rounds, but was hit several times. Her two forward 8" turrets and "X" turret aft were damaged and made inoperable, and her bridge sustained several hits. London retreated down river and returned to Hong Kong for repairs which lasted until the end of July.
De-Commissioning
London remained in Chinese waters until August 1949 when she was relieved by HMS Kenya and returned to the UK in the autumn of 1949. London was surveyed to determine if an extensive repair and refit for further service was feasible, but the condition of her machinery (dating back to 1928 and not replaced during her rebuild in the 1930s) made her an expensive proposition. She was retired to reserve in the River Fal until sold for scrapping in 1950.
HMS London (C-69) was a member of the second group of the County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters; HMS Sussex, Shropshire, and Devonshire differed from the earlier group of Counties, (known as the Kent class), by having a smaller forward superstructure, which was positioned slightly further aft, and next to no armour plating. HMS London's career spanned over twenty years.
Interwar Career and Rebuild
London was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 23 February 1926, launched on 14 September 1927 and commissioned on 31 January 1929. London served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron until March 1939, and was the flagship of Admiral Max Horton during his time in command of 1st Cruisers. Her flag captain during this time was Henry Harwood. From 1936 she was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Charles Kennedy-Purvis (later Sir Charles) and on September 1st 1937 she and her sister ship Sussex made a week long goodwill visit to Venice, mooring opposite the Doges Palace. London and her sister ship Shropshire facilitated the evacuation of thousands of civilians from Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. From March 1939 she was under reconstruction at the Chatham Dockyard, and was much altered in appearance. Replacement of her machinery was considered, but later abandoned. She was given a new superstructure above the main deck and in many ways resembled a Colony class light cruiser. Her single 4" gun mounts were changed to twin mounts, several 20mm AA guns, and radar were added. In addition she was fitted with a 3½" cemented armoured belt, 8' deep down from the main armoured deck which covered the machinery spaces. The reconstruction work was finally completed in March 1941. The refit was planned to be implemented to other ships of the County class but due to wartime pressures no other ships were reconstructed.
Wartime Career
London was involved in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941. During this time at sea many cracks appeared in her upper deck and hull, due to the weight of the new superstructure causing stresses. She entered a commercial shipyard on the River Tyne in October 1941 and was under repair until February 1942. London then spent from October 1941 to November 1942 in the North Atlantic on convoy protection duties in the company of several US Navy warships. This time of operations in the heavy North Atlantic seas caused hull cracks and popped rivets in her lower hull resulting in the ship again going into the dry-dock in December 1942 for strengthening of the hull, fitting of newer and more refined radar, and more light anti-aircraft guns. This refit work successfully rectified her hull strength issues and was finished in May 1943, with the ship then ready for sea in July. After sea trials and ammunition onloading she was then assigned to operate off the South African coast, and then to the Indian Ocean Fleet for the rest of the war.
Postwar and the Amethyst Incident.
Following the Second World War, and being the Royal Navy's only modernized 8" gun cruiser, London was refitted for further service in early 1946 to allow her to serve in the postwar fleet. Following the refit she sailed for the far east in 1946 and served there for the next three years on the China Station. In the spring of 1949 the frigate Amethyst became trapped by advancing Communist Chinese forces up the Yangtze River. London sailed up the river as a show of strength in an attempt to help free the frigate. The Communist forces were not intimidated and took the cruiser under fire. London returned fire with her 8" and 4" guns, firing several hundred rounds, but was hit several times. Her two forward 8" turrets and "X" turret aft were damaged and made inoperable, and her bridge sustained several hits. London retreated down river and returned to Hong Kong for repairs which lasted until the end of July.
De-Commissioning
London remained in Chinese waters until August 1949 when she was relieved by HMS Kenya and returned to the UK in the autumn of 1949. London was surveyed to determine if an extensive repair and refit for further service was feasible, but the condition of her machinery (dating back to 1928 and not replaced during her rebuild in the 1930s) made her an expensive proposition. She was retired to reserve in the River Fal until sold for scrapping in 1950.
The Yangtze Incident
Or the Amethyst Incident - as it was also known - in 1949 involved the British Royal Navy ship HMS Amethyst being trapped on the Yangtze River for three months, during the Chinese Civil War. On 20 April 1949, HMS Amethyst was on her way from Shanghai to Nanking (now Nanjing) on the Yangtze River to replace HMS Consort, which was standing as guard ship for the British Embassy there during the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communists, People’s Liberation Army (PLA). According to the Royal Navy, at around 08:31, after a burst of small arms fire, a PLA field gun battery on the north bank of the river fired a salvo of ten shells, which fell well short of the ship, and was assumed to be part of a regular bombardment of Nationalist forces on the south bank. Speed was increased, and large Union flags were unfurled on either side of the ship, after which there was no more firing. At 09:30, as the frigate approached Kiangyin (Jiangyin) further up the river, she came under sustained fire from a second PLA battery. The first shell passed over the ship, then the bridge, wheelhouse and Low Power Room were hit in quick succession, the Captain was mortally wounded, and all the bridge personnel were disabled. The Coxswain on the wheel was seriously injured and as a result the ship slewed to port and grounded on the bank before control of the ship was resumed. Before the ship was hit, the order to open fire had been given, but when the Director Layer pulled the firing trigger, nothing happened, because the gunfiring circuits were disabled when the Low Power Room was hit. Other PLA shells exploded in the sick bay, the port engine room, and finally the generator, just after the injured First Officer Lieutenant Weston's last transmission: "Under heavy fire. Am aground in approx. position 31.10' North 119.50' East. Large number of casualties." (Note:- This location is some 150 km South East of Nanking, 150 km from the river, so either the figures are wrong, or he was very confused. Also, the format is wrong - taken literally, the figures are decimal minutes, i.e. nonsense. It should be either (probably) Degrees, Minutes and Seconds, or decimal degrees). The order was given to fire in local control with each turret firing independently, but Amethyst had grounded in such a way that neither of the two gun turrets at the front of the ship could be brought to bear on the PLA batteries, leaving the single stern turret to return fire. She was soon hit and disabled. None of the close range weapons could be brought to bear on the PLA Batteries and the only way to engage the batteries would be with rifles and Bren guns, but the range was too great for these to be effective. The shore batteries continued to fire at Amethyst with their artillery, causing more damage and casualties to the ship. Some time between 10:00 and 10:30, Weston ordered the immediate evacuation to shore of anyone who could be spared. A boat was manned to take people the short distance to shore and some men swam. The batteries switched their fire to the men being evacuated and further evacuation was stopped. Fifty-nine ratings and four Chinese mess boys made it to the KMT controlled Southern bank, but two men were assumed drowned while swimming ashore. Those who survived were joined by the seriously wounded from Amethyst who had been landed by sampan, with the assistance of the Chinese Nationalist on the following day. Both parties were taken to a Missionary Hospital in Kiangyin where they were met by a party from the British Embassy in Nanking and put on a train for Shanghai. Remaining on board were about 60 unwounded men. The shelling had stopped, but no one could move without drawing the attention of PLA snipers. By the time the shelling stopped at about 11:00, 22 men had been killed and 31 wounded in all. Amethyst had received over 50 hits and holes below the waterline were plugged with hammocks and bedding. During this time HMS Consort was sighted, flying seven White Ensigns and three Union flags, steaming down from Nanking at 29 knots. Consort came under fire from the shore batteries and returned fire with her 4.5 inch (114 mm) guns, destroying the enemy shore batteries before she attempted to take Amethyst in tow. HMS Consort turned about with all guns blazing at the north bank batteries, destroying an enemy position. However, Consort came under heavy fire, and the attempt was abandoned with ten killed and three injured. Amethyst was re-floated just after midnight, on 21 April, after lightening the ship, and she moved up river. The Assistant British Naval Attaché, Lieutenant Commander John Kerans joined the ship on 22 April after he had dealt with all the wounded and unwounded men who had been sent ashore. He assumed command of the ship that day. During the next few days Amethyst moved several times, but each time she got under way the batteries opened fire at her and the ship was forced to anchor finally finishing up off Fu Te Wei. On 21 April a signal was received: "HM ships London and Black Swan are moving up river to escort the Amethyst down stream. Be ready to move." The cruiser London and the frigate (ex-sloop and Amethyst's sister ship) Black Swan were heavily shelled as they attempted to help Amethyst and retreated with 46 killed and 64 injured. On 30 April, the PLA demanded that Britain, the United States, and France quickly withdraw their armed forces from any parts of China. During the negotiations the Communists insisted that the British ship had fired first (It was only in 1988 that the PLA commander Ye Fei admitted that it was his troops that fired first). Amethyst remained under guard by the PLA for ten weeks, with vital supplies being withheld from the ship. Negotiations were stuck because Kerans would not accept the demand from Colonel Kung who was the PLA representative, that the British state that they had wrongly invaded Chinese national waters and had fired upon the PLA first. Because the communists (and later the People's Republic of China) did not acknowledge any treaties between the previous Chinese government and the British, they insisted that it was illegal for Amethyst to cruise in the Yangtze river. On 30 July 1949 Amethyst slipped her chain and headed downriver in the dark, beginning a 104-mile dash for freedom running the gauntlet of Communist guns on both banks of the river. She followed the passenger ship Kiang Ling Liberation in the hope that the observers ashore would be confused and not see Amethyst in the dark. When the battery opened fire, the fire was directed at the Kiang Lin Liberation which was sunk by the gun fire, with heavy civilian casualties. At 0500 hours on 31 July, Amethyst approached the PLA forts at Par Shan (Baoshan) and Woosung (Wusong) with their searchlights sweeping the river. At 0525 a pre-planned meeting with HMS Concord took place in order for her to protect Amethyst from the gun battery at Woosung. HMS Concord had been ordered to prepare to provide gun support to Amethyst if she came under fire from the shore batteries at Woosung. To achieve this she had moved up the Yangtze during the night, at Action Stations. Fortunately, Amethyst was not spotted by the shore batteries and the two ships then proceeded down river until at 0715 they stood down from Action Stations and after clearing the river mouth arrived at the Saddle Islands at 1200 hrs to anchor and transfer much needed oil and stores. After a short stay at anchor, Concord lent Amethyst sailors to fill gaps in her ships company and the two ships set sail for Hong Kong. Next day HMS Jamaica flying the Flag of the Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet and HMS Cossack took over as escort and proceeded to Hong Kong. The famous signal was sent from Amethyst: "Have rejoined the fleet south of Woosung ... No damage... No casualties....God save the King!"
Or the Amethyst Incident - as it was also known - in 1949 involved the British Royal Navy ship HMS Amethyst being trapped on the Yangtze River for three months, during the Chinese Civil War. On 20 April 1949, HMS Amethyst was on her way from Shanghai to Nanking (now Nanjing) on the Yangtze River to replace HMS Consort, which was standing as guard ship for the British Embassy there during the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communists, People’s Liberation Army (PLA). According to the Royal Navy, at around 08:31, after a burst of small arms fire, a PLA field gun battery on the north bank of the river fired a salvo of ten shells, which fell well short of the ship, and was assumed to be part of a regular bombardment of Nationalist forces on the south bank. Speed was increased, and large Union flags were unfurled on either side of the ship, after which there was no more firing. At 09:30, as the frigate approached Kiangyin (Jiangyin) further up the river, she came under sustained fire from a second PLA battery. The first shell passed over the ship, then the bridge, wheelhouse and Low Power Room were hit in quick succession, the Captain was mortally wounded, and all the bridge personnel were disabled. The Coxswain on the wheel was seriously injured and as a result the ship slewed to port and grounded on the bank before control of the ship was resumed. Before the ship was hit, the order to open fire had been given, but when the Director Layer pulled the firing trigger, nothing happened, because the gunfiring circuits were disabled when the Low Power Room was hit. Other PLA shells exploded in the sick bay, the port engine room, and finally the generator, just after the injured First Officer Lieutenant Weston's last transmission: "Under heavy fire. Am aground in approx. position 31.10' North 119.50' East. Large number of casualties." (Note:- This location is some 150 km South East of Nanking, 150 km from the river, so either the figures are wrong, or he was very confused. Also, the format is wrong - taken literally, the figures are decimal minutes, i.e. nonsense. It should be either (probably) Degrees, Minutes and Seconds, or decimal degrees). The order was given to fire in local control with each turret firing independently, but Amethyst had grounded in such a way that neither of the two gun turrets at the front of the ship could be brought to bear on the PLA batteries, leaving the single stern turret to return fire. She was soon hit and disabled. None of the close range weapons could be brought to bear on the PLA Batteries and the only way to engage the batteries would be with rifles and Bren guns, but the range was too great for these to be effective. The shore batteries continued to fire at Amethyst with their artillery, causing more damage and casualties to the ship. Some time between 10:00 and 10:30, Weston ordered the immediate evacuation to shore of anyone who could be spared. A boat was manned to take people the short distance to shore and some men swam. The batteries switched their fire to the men being evacuated and further evacuation was stopped. Fifty-nine ratings and four Chinese mess boys made it to the KMT controlled Southern bank, but two men were assumed drowned while swimming ashore. Those who survived were joined by the seriously wounded from Amethyst who had been landed by sampan, with the assistance of the Chinese Nationalist on the following day. Both parties were taken to a Missionary Hospital in Kiangyin where they were met by a party from the British Embassy in Nanking and put on a train for Shanghai. Remaining on board were about 60 unwounded men. The shelling had stopped, but no one could move without drawing the attention of PLA snipers. By the time the shelling stopped at about 11:00, 22 men had been killed and 31 wounded in all. Amethyst had received over 50 hits and holes below the waterline were plugged with hammocks and bedding. During this time HMS Consort was sighted, flying seven White Ensigns and three Union flags, steaming down from Nanking at 29 knots. Consort came under fire from the shore batteries and returned fire with her 4.5 inch (114 mm) guns, destroying the enemy shore batteries before she attempted to take Amethyst in tow. HMS Consort turned about with all guns blazing at the north bank batteries, destroying an enemy position. However, Consort came under heavy fire, and the attempt was abandoned with ten killed and three injured. Amethyst was re-floated just after midnight, on 21 April, after lightening the ship, and she moved up river. The Assistant British Naval Attaché, Lieutenant Commander John Kerans joined the ship on 22 April after he had dealt with all the wounded and unwounded men who had been sent ashore. He assumed command of the ship that day. During the next few days Amethyst moved several times, but each time she got under way the batteries opened fire at her and the ship was forced to anchor finally finishing up off Fu Te Wei. On 21 April a signal was received: "HM ships London and Black Swan are moving up river to escort the Amethyst down stream. Be ready to move." The cruiser London and the frigate (ex-sloop and Amethyst's sister ship) Black Swan were heavily shelled as they attempted to help Amethyst and retreated with 46 killed and 64 injured. On 30 April, the PLA demanded that Britain, the United States, and France quickly withdraw their armed forces from any parts of China. During the negotiations the Communists insisted that the British ship had fired first (It was only in 1988 that the PLA commander Ye Fei admitted that it was his troops that fired first). Amethyst remained under guard by the PLA for ten weeks, with vital supplies being withheld from the ship. Negotiations were stuck because Kerans would not accept the demand from Colonel Kung who was the PLA representative, that the British state that they had wrongly invaded Chinese national waters and had fired upon the PLA first. Because the communists (and later the People's Republic of China) did not acknowledge any treaties between the previous Chinese government and the British, they insisted that it was illegal for Amethyst to cruise in the Yangtze river. On 30 July 1949 Amethyst slipped her chain and headed downriver in the dark, beginning a 104-mile dash for freedom running the gauntlet of Communist guns on both banks of the river. She followed the passenger ship Kiang Ling Liberation in the hope that the observers ashore would be confused and not see Amethyst in the dark. When the battery opened fire, the fire was directed at the Kiang Lin Liberation which was sunk by the gun fire, with heavy civilian casualties. At 0500 hours on 31 July, Amethyst approached the PLA forts at Par Shan (Baoshan) and Woosung (Wusong) with their searchlights sweeping the river. At 0525 a pre-planned meeting with HMS Concord took place in order for her to protect Amethyst from the gun battery at Woosung. HMS Concord had been ordered to prepare to provide gun support to Amethyst if she came under fire from the shore batteries at Woosung. To achieve this she had moved up the Yangtze during the night, at Action Stations. Fortunately, Amethyst was not spotted by the shore batteries and the two ships then proceeded down river until at 0715 they stood down from Action Stations and after clearing the river mouth arrived at the Saddle Islands at 1200 hrs to anchor and transfer much needed oil and stores. After a short stay at anchor, Concord lent Amethyst sailors to fill gaps in her ships company and the two ships set sail for Hong Kong. Next day HMS Jamaica flying the Flag of the Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet and HMS Cossack took over as escort and proceeded to Hong Kong. The famous signal was sent from Amethyst: "Have rejoined the fleet south of Woosung ... No damage... No casualties....God save the King!"
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as issued.
- Atlantic Star: Unnamed as issued.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as issued
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as issued.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as issued.
- Naval General Service Medal: C/MX 48453 W.J.B.HERBERT. C.E.R.A.R.N.
- Royal Navy Long Service & Good Conduct Medal: MX.48453 W.J.B.HERBERT. C.E.R.A. H.M.S. COPRA.
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This page last updated 31 May 16