THE 'YANGTZE INCIDENT' - 70 YEARS ONINTRODUCTION'Have rejoined the Fleet south of Woo Sung. No

THE 'YANGTZE INCIDENT' - 70 YEARS ONINTRODUCTION'Have rejoined the Fleet south of Woo Sung. No damage or casualties. God Save the King.'Lieutenant-Commander J. S. Kerans, R.N., H.M.S. Amethyst.'Welcome back to the Fleet … Your bearing in adversity and your daring passage tonight will be epic in the history of the Navy.'Admiral Sir Patrick Brind, C.-in-C. Far East Fleet.The succinct - yet sublime - signal sent by Lieutenant-Commander J. S. Kerans, the captain of H.M.S. Amethyst, following his ship's epic escape from the grasp and guns of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in July 1949, has indeed embedded itself in the annals of the Royal Navy.Most welcome of all, however, was the message sent to the C.-in-C. by H.M. King George VI:'Please convey to the commanding officer and ship's company of H.M.S. Amethyst my hearty congratulations on their daring exploit to rejoin the Fleet. The courage, skill and determination shown by all on board have my highest commendation. Splice the mainbrace.'Transmitted seventy years ago, these historic signals marked the conclusion of what became known as the 'Yangtze Incident', an incident in which the Royal Navy won the attention - and admiration - of the free world. Total casualties amounted to three officers and 43 men killed and seven officers and 87 men wounded, the Royal Navy's greatest loss of life during peacetime operations.The exploits of H.M.S. Amethyst have rightly found a place in the annals of the Royal Navy, for they epitomise the high standards of the Senior Service in the face of great adversity. Likewise, the exploits of Black Swan, Consort and London are worthy of high praise, all three ships making plucky attempts to come to the rescue; just how plucky may be gleaned from their casualty returns.The debate held in the House of Lords on 26 April 1949 lent not just to an abiding sense of gravity and concern but, in equal measure, to the immense respect afforded those officers and ratings who had displayed such remarkable fortitude under such challenging circumstances. Here, then, the foundations of a story that led to wider acclaim:https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1949/apr/26/the-yangtse-incidentThat such a small-scale, post-war incident resulted in media coverage on an unprecedented scale is surely a mark of equal esteem, albeit under an umbrella of trying international relationships. The conduct of all those personnel ensnared in the gunsights of a belligerent communist opponent - an enemy blessed with the advantages of armament and surroundings and devoid of the usual rules of conflict - was indeed sublime.And so, 70 years on, by means of this collection, we are pleased to pay homage to their gallant deeds and sacrifice. We won't be the first - countless articles and books, and the film Yangtse Incident, starring Richard Todd, precede us. Nor will we be the last, for their inspirational example must surely be timeless.H.M.S. Amethyst20 April to 31 July 1949Casualties: 21 killed or died of wounds and 31 woundedThe Naval General Service Medal awarded to Boy K. J. Morton, Royal Navy: one of the youngest members of H.M.S. Amethyst's crew at the time of the incident in April 1949, he survived - under a murderous fire - the crossing to Rose IslandNaval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Yangtze 1949 (D/JX 836312 K. J. Morton, Boy. R.N.), mounted as worn, extremely fine. Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.