Officer Of The Amethyst Tells Of The Attack

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 April 1949, Page 5

Officer Of The Amethyst Tells Of The Attack

LONDON, April 21.—Chief Petty Officer David Heath, who led the evacuation party from the Amethyst, gave a graphic account when he arrived in Shanghai, of the attack on the Amethyst, how the ship was crippled and the captain badly wounded, how the white flag was run up and disregarded, and how his party was ordered to abandon ship, which they did under heavy artillery and machinegun fire.

Heath said that about 8.30 a.m. some shells whistled overhead but did not touch the ship. “We carried on. Then the shore batteries fired again. The wheelhouse and bridge were struck and Captain Robertson, as well as several others, were hit. It was a bit of a haze from then on. The next thing we knew we were aground. The steering gear had either jammed or had been damaged. The shore batteries carried on firing and it was decided if the Communists attempted to take the ship the company would try to defend themselves with rifles. Rifles were issued but Amethyst was again hit and the plan was abandoned. After another hit Captain Robertson, who had been badly hurt and taken below, ordered the ship to hoist the white flag. We hoisted two but the Communists carried on the attack.” ABANDONED SHIP. Heath said the ship’s whaler was lowered and Heath’s party abandoned ship. “On the way to the shore our friends machine-gunned and shelled us, and more casualties were suffered. The men reached an island, where the Chinese pointd out a path which was unmined, and the men crawled along this for about half an hour.” When they thought they were out of range, the men put their heads up, but Nationalist soldiers then sent a volley over their heads. Heath thought, however, that this, action was taken to attract the party’s attention. No one was hit. A Chinese messboy thsji swam across a small bay to the Nationalists, who later sent over boats and took the party to the mainland. The Nationalists looked after the men, who while waiting to proceed watched the destroyer Consort “having a go.” A Nationalist officer led the men to another point about seven miles away. The journy was made at night and some men walked barefooted. Nationalists later took them in lorries to Changchow. There a Chinese major looked after the troops and provided medical treatment for the wounded. The men were given a special coach on the train which brought them to Shanghai. Heath said that two fires occurred on the Amethvst.