Word: amethyst
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...most respected cat in all Britain was a small, black, white-bibbed torn named Simon. As ship's cat on board the sloop H.M.S. Amethyst on her heroic voyage down China's Yangtze River last spring (TIME, May 2), Simon got his white whiskers singed by a Communist shell, his face and legs scratched by shrapnel. But throughout the Amethyst's cruise, Simon carried on in his billet, caught at least one mouse every...
...When the Amethyst got back to England, Simon was interned for the regulation six months' quarantine required of animals entering the country, but his grateful nation had not forgotten him. Reporters from far & wide came to see and photograph the solemn hero, and he was promised the Dickin Medal* for heroic animals, to be awarded by London's Lord Mayor on his release...
Then, for two hours, Admiralty officials in London waited anxiously, finally received a terse message: the ship had run the blockade and was already only 40 miles from the Yangtze's mouth. Two and a half hours later, the Amethyst signaled that she was in sight of the Woosung forts. Then she wired triumphantly: "Have rejoined the fleet. No damage or casualties. God save the King...
...King was delighted. He called the Amethyst's escape a "daring exploit," personally ordered the frigate's crew to "splice the mainbrace"-break out an extra order of grog for all hands. In Shanghai, the Communist press ignored the Amethyst's escape completely. Shanghai British celebrated discreetly. "We're glad they're out of it," said one, "but there's no point in crowing over it. After all, we're still here...
...last week, Kerans decided to run the Communist gauntlet. At 10:12 p.m. he gave the order to sail. The Amethyst nosed out into the channel astern of a Yangtze freighter. At 10:23 p.m., the Communists discovered the Amethyst in motion when the steamer ahead of her was challenged by flares from the shore. The Communists opened up with heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. The Amethyst returned the fire. In London, the Admiralty received a message from the Amethyst: "Am under heavy fire and hit." Ten minutes later she messaged: "Still under heavy fire." At midnight the moon...