Posted on 11/01/2007 3:13:11 PM PDT by Stoat
Simon ... 'able seaman'
ROYAL Navy officers who survived a siege that killed 17 of their comrades nearly 60 years ago will pay tribute to the cat credited with saving their lives.
Simon the cat received the “animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross” for gallantry after he protected food stores on the HMS Amethyst from an infestation of rats, despite being badly injured in shelling by Chinese Communist forces during the country’s civil war.
One of the survivors, Commander Stuart Hett, who was appointed “Cat Officer” with the duty of sorting hundreds of pieces of his feline colleague’s fan mail after news of Simon’s service spread across the world, will lead a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery where Simon is buried, marking the day the cat’s mission ended.
The Amethyst, which came under fire in the 101-day siege known as the Yangtze Incident, eventually returned to dock in Plymouth on November 1 1949 where Simon, who suffered severe shrapnel wounds, received a hero’s welcome.
Simon died in quarantine just over three weeks later and was buried with full military honours at the PDSA Animal Cemetery in Ilford, Essex.
He was later posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery, instituted in1943 by Maria Dickin CBE, the founder of veterinary charity the PDSA, and was given the rank of “Able Seaman”.
Commander Hett, now 81, said: “Simon’s company and expertise as a rat-catcher were invaluable during the months we were held captive.
“During a terrifying time, he helped boost the morale of many young sailors, some of whom had seen their friends killed. Simon is still remembered with great affection.”
Simon is the only cat among 62 animals to be awarded the Dickin Medal.
The other recipients are 32 Second World War messenger pigeons, three horses and 26 dogs, including some dogs recognised for bravery in more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The PDSA Animal Cemetery, currently undergoing restoration, is the final resting place of around 3,000 animals, including 12 Dickin Medal honourees.
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Wartime hero cat Simon remembered
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Simon protected food stores from an infestation of rats on board the HMS Amethyst during a siege. He was posthumously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, the charity's animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. The ship's Commander Stuart Hett is to lead a wreath-laying ceremony at the Essex cemetery where Simon is buried. Simon was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery, instituted in 1943 by Maria Dickin CBE, the founder of veterinary charity the PDSA, and was given the rank of Able Seaman. Hero's welcome He suffered severe shrapnel wounds when HMS Amethyst came under fire in a 101-day siege known as the Yangtze Incident in which 17 marines were among the dead. He received a hero's welcome when the ship returned to dock in Plymouth on 1 November 1949. Simon died in quarantine three weeks later and was buried with full military honours at the PDSA Animal Cemetery in Ilford, Essex.
Cdr Hett was appointed to sort through hundreds of pieces of fan mail that arrived after news of Simon's service spread. He said: "Simon's company and expertise as a rat-catcher were invaluable during the months we were held captive. "During a terrifying time, he helped boost the morale of many young sailors, some of whom had seen their friends killed." The ceremony marks the day the ship's mission ended. Simon is the only cat among 62 animals to be awarded the Dickin Medal. Other recipients include messenger pigeons, horses and dogs. PDSA director general Marilyn Rydstrom said: "The power of animals to support and sustain morale in times of conflict can never be underestimated." |
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Hero Kitty Ping :-)
This cat evidently had more guts than most of the foreign service officers in our State Dept.
[cue Led Zeppelin—”The Immigrant Song”]
Good boy.
Simon died in quarantine just over three weeks later and was buried with full military honours at the PDSA Animal Cemetery in Ilford, Essex.
That I don't understand, unless it was lack of the correct food in the shelter as everything was severely rationed.
The UK has very strict quarantine laws on any animal entering; I think dogs have to be quarantined for three months, not sure about cats. Anything pops up on the island will migrate through the population within a couple of years, they lost most of the rabbits due to a disease in the 50's.
The Amethyst, which came under fire in the 101-day siege known as the Yangtze Incident, eventually returned to dock in Plymouth on November 1 1949 where Simon, who suffered severe shrapnel wounds, received a hero’s welcome.
I'm guessing that the wounds were beyond the abilities of earthly science to heal.
He will surely live forever in the hearts of all who hear of him, however.
But the battle was back in July in China, so the crew managed to keep Simon alive until quarantine at Plymouth? Maybe. Great cat story, though, and representative of the best feline traits.
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