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HMS AMETHYST- Have rejoined the Fleet
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Fairfield

HMS AMETHYST- Have rejoined the Fleet

60 years ago this morning on 31st July 1949, HMS AMETHYST sent this signal after her dramatic journey down the Yangtse River following the attack and subsequent detention by Communist Chinese forces in April.
AMETHYST was completed by Alexander Stephen's Linthouse yard in Glasgow in 1943. She had a good war service and was present at the formal U- boat and Japanese surrenders.
She also served during the Korean War before she went into reserve and relived her Yangtse Incident in the film of the same name before going to breakers at Devonport in 1957.
The current Navy News has a special supplement with cutaway drawing of her.
Her full signal read "Have rejoined the Fleet South of Woosung. No damage or casualties.God save the King."
This old picture shows her in the immediate period after the breakout.
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U

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Brings back memories. This photo was taken in steady near vertical rain as she approached the berth on the outer wall of the basin in Hong Kong dockyard, which later became part of Tamar naval base. Kowloon is just visible in the mist behind her bow and a Star Ferry over her quartedeck. My father worked in the dockyard and I was in the crowd on the jetty to welcome her.
Pirate
 
Fairfield

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It must have been something definitely- nice to hear you were there. I wonder in today's PC climate if we could ever have a repeat.
 
Pat Thompson

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Greetings,

Commander Kerans became the Conservative member for Hartlepool after retiring from the RN. Story was that he "boozed" himself and the Conservatives out of Hartlepool.

Can't remember which one but either Fort Rosalie (probably) or Fort Austin has a picture of Amythyst on the inboard bulkhead near the port aft midship accomodation door just round the corner from the ship's office. There was a link (possibly Sea Cadet based) between the ships but I can't for the life of me remember what it was.
 
Fairfield

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Didn't know that about Commander Kerans. I remember his passing I think about 20 years or so ago now.
 
C

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Pat's, right he ended up kissing babies (photographed in the local paper) as part of his election campaign but didn't quite hit the "expenses jackpot" in London, he should have took the ship's cat with him! There is a great centre spread in the latest "Navy News" about the incident. He and the Crew were brave men to undertake such an operation ending in a good result.
 
Samsette

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I was aboard MV Radnorshire, Glen Line, homeward bound, and moored in the stream. She steamed slowly into port, passing Wanchai, where millions of Chinese firecrakers exploded in a rumbling, great barrage of noise and smoke, then past the line of merchantmen, each dipping their ensign in salute and sounding their whistles. She was holed and blackened from the shelling she had endured, and there were few among us who did not feel a lump in their throats, or other emotion, at the sight of her. A memorable moment.
 
H

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Our history teacher constructed a timeline of significant events in world history and we chose the Yangtse incident as representative for 1949. I often wonder how many people even remember it these days.
 

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