Communist Attack On British Warships

Chronicle (Levin), 23 April 1949, Page 5

Communist Attack On British Warships

( N.Z.P.A

— , Reuter ,

CopyriQfot)

Received Friday, 7.25 p.m. LONDON, April 22. A serions view is taklii in London of the unprovoked attaeks by Chinese Communist artillery on the British warsips in the Yangtze but a Foreign Office offieial told the Daily Telegraph's diplomatic eorrespondent last night that at the present moment nothing could be said about a British protest. Britain, he added, was reserving all -.her rights and in such eases these rights ineluded an apology and compensation. Sixty ratings and oue officer from the Amethyst arrived in Shanghai by rail from Changchow (near the seem of the incident) this afternoon. The party included flve wounded This party had a grim ordeal. They swam ashor" from the Amethyst under fire, anc walked seven miles to the railwav._ Tlimen arrived in Shanghai ill-elad and worn. Some were bandaged, and som. were carried off the train on stretchers some were barefooted, and some wes, in Chinese straw sandals. Story of Attack ^ The ehief boatswain's mate, Chief Petty Officer David Heath, who leci the evacuation party gave a graphi account of the attack on the Amethyst how the ship was crippldd and the ca]> tain, badly wounded; how the whiti flag was run up and disregarded, anu how his party were ordered to abandon ship, which they did under heavy artillery and maehine-gun fire. Petty Officer Heath said that aboih 8.30 a.m. some skells whistled over head, but did not touch the ship. "\Ve carried on. Then the shore batteriefired again. The wheelhouse ami bridge were struck, and Captain Eol)ertson, as well as several others, wa.hit. It was a bit of affiaze from then on. "Next thing we knew we were aground. The steering gear either jambed or was damaged. The shore batteries carried on the firing, and it was decided that if the Communists attempted to take the' ship the eompanv would tfv to defend themselves with rifles. Rifles were issued, but the Amethyst was' again hit and the plar ■was abandoned. After another hit Captain Robertson, who had been bad lv hurt and taken below, ordered the ship to hoist the white flag. Wfi hoisted two, but the Communists car ried on the attack." He said the ship 's whaler was low ered and ' his ' party abandoned sliip. "On the way to the shore our friemls machine-gunned and shelled us, and more casualties were suffered. The men reached an islaud where tlie Ohines.pointed 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 the Xationalist soldiers then sent a volley over their heads. The Admiralty stated: "The Amethyst is anchored in a satisfactorv position and believes herself capable of 17 knots. She is, however, upriver of the hostile artillery, and her charts are destroyed. It would clearly be un desirable for her to attempt to run the gauntlet of concentrated fire at tae present moment. ' ' It was expected that charts would reach the Amethysr overland from Nanking. Counting the Scars The-eruiser London, whieh returned to Shanghai tonight from her unsucessful rescue mission to the Amethyst, received at least two direci hits on her hull. "One shell struck the second of the two forward gun turrets, but the heavy armour prevented penetration. The shipJs funuels were peppered with small arms fire. The sloop Blaek Swan shows scars on jj.er port side near the waterline.Oue of the Black Swan's oil tanks was penetrated by shell fire. United States Assisting The United States hospital ship Eepose, accompanied by a destrover, arrived at Woosung, at the entrance to Shanghai harbour, tonight from Tsingtao. All facilities aboard have been off ered to the Royal Navy for the care of men wounded in the Communist attaeks on the British warship-. The offer was made by ihe United .States West Pacific Gommander, ViceAdmiral Osear C. Badger, who .today also-provided 10 ainbulances and other facilities for the reception of the wounded' from the Oonsort and the Amethyst.: The Admiralty gives the cruiser London 's casualties as 12 killed and 15 seriously wounded. The Amethyst had moved ten miles up .river. All the badly wounded had been landed.