PAST EVENTS
The Escape of HMS Amethyst (Yangtze River, China, 1949) is a remarkable, little known or forgotten episode, where international thuggery and courageous dedication to duty provided a sharp contrast. Thanks to the skilful presentation by fellow-member Ian Sutherland, this story was brought to life again at our October get-together. In order to set the scene, Ian had to cast back to the events in China followine WWII. A civil war had raged from 1946-l950. In that period the great strategic advances of the Nationalists (Kuomintang) led by Gen Chiang Kai-shek, were reversed. Against them Communist forces, retrained and re-equipped with Japanese arms gradually shifted from guerilla warfare to large offensive campaigns. In 1948 the Communists began a southward march. Early in 1949 they reached the Yangtze, a river 3 400 miles long, and threatened Nanking, the National capital, which they eventually took on 24th April. In mid-April HMS Amethyst had appeared on stage.
Scale models and an overhead projector were used by our speaker to present HMS Amethyst and to trace her history. Built as an ocean-going modified escort sloop of the Black Swan class, she was completed in 1943, displacing 1 350 tons, capable of 20 knots at full speed, and carrying a complement of 192 officers and men, three twin 4in. QF guns and Bofors machine guns. She arrived at the mouth of the Yangtze on 15 APril 1949 and sailed from Shanghai up the river on 19 April, proceeding to Nanking on a humanitarian mission on behalf of the foreign community. She was repeatedly attacked and detained by communist shore-based artillery for nearly three months. During the first attack she received 15 direct hits. Having no armour plating and being manned by an exceptionally young and therefore inexperienced, crew she suffered 19 killed or seriously wounded, including her captain, Lt Cdr Skinrier, and some other 30 wounded. The bridge, wheel-house and sick bay all received direct hits. In an attempt to evade the communist batteries the helmsman was disabled and she ran aground at Rose Island. A destroyer which came down the Yangtze to assist her received 65 hits; on the evening of 20 April the cruiser HMS London arrived from Shanghai, in addition some air support was received. On 22 April she managed to move two miles upstream where she anchored. A Sunderland made several attempts to land medical supplies.
Eventually a new commander managed to reach the stricken ship. Here, thus, Great Britain was forced in to a naval engagerment with land forces of a country with whom she was not at war.
Negotiations with the Chinese communists proved fruitless. Unable to obtain safe-passage guarantees the 'Amethyst' navigated downstream for 140 miles, her silhouette camouflaged as much as possible, yet repeatedly coming under heavy fire, and arrived at the mouth of the river with only a few hours of fuel remaining. The time: 20 minutes past 5 o'clock on 31 July 1949.
Stan Hood, a former RSM of the NFA, expressed a warm word of appreciation on behalf of the audience.
FUTURE EVENTS
Programme of monthly meetings:
NOVEMBER 10TH Fellow-member MAJOR KEITH ARCHIBALD will deliver a short history of the Natal Carbineers followed by a VIDEO film of the regiment serving on the border, (1977).
December In recess.
1989
January 12th "Austerlitz" 1805.
Dr Angus Allen will present a video with introductory talk. (Tentative)
February 16th "Up the Line on the Western Front" An audio visual presentation by Maj Darrell Hall. (NB. Third Thursday).
The venue for all meetings will be the 'Bourq Inn' on the lower ground floor, 'SB' Bourquin Building (NPA Dept of Community Services) on the corner of Jan Smuts Highway and Buro Crescent, Mayville, on the second Thursday in the month (unless otherwise advised), commencing at 19h30. Ice and water jugs will be provided, but please bring your own GLASS and bottled or canned refreshments. There is ample parking, under guard, in the grounds. Friends and interested persons are welcome to come along.
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv