Escape of the Amethyst

The astounding true story of the ordeal and escape of the British frigate Amethyst from Chinese Communist batteries in the Yangtze River in April 1949.



In the early morning of 20th April 1949, HMS Amethyst was fulfilling orders to travel to Nanking to stand guard for the British Embassy during the height of the Chinese Civil War when she was fired upon by guns from the riverbank.



Shells pounded into the ship, killing the commanding officer and destroyed the bridge before the ship grounded on ...