Everything tagged "HMS Amethyst" | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Everything tagged "HMS Amethyst"

AMETHYST BLOCK-2012

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
2012

Wandering around the park in front of the new government headquarters last weekend I noticed on a wall at the PLA Headquarters entrance a sign which at a distance I took to say "Amenity Block" but on closer inspection it displays AMETHYST BLOCK (lower part of picture). As this would be named after HMS AMETHYST detained by the communists on the Yangtze in 1949, I wonder if the building's present occupants realise the significence of the name. Its strange its still there so long after the handover in 1997

HMS Amethyst berthing at Tamar

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1949

This image shows the arrival of Amethyst at Tamar in August 1949 after her detention on the Yangtze. Less well known is that the two RAF Sunderland flying boats that flew supply and rescue missions to the Amethyst were from RAF Kai Tak. They were not too successful due to heavy gunfire from the communists and they sustained damage. The movie of the incident that seems to be on UK TV every other week was filmed on the south coast of England near to Portsmouth and close viewing of the low lying backgrounds show a much different countryside to that on the Yangtze

 

HMS Amethyst

Image (external): 

Famously attacked by the PLA in 1949 while on the Yangtze, before being captured. As wikipedia has it: On 30 July 1949 Amethyst slipped her chain and headed downriver in the dark, beginning a 104-mile (167 km) dash for freedom running the gauntlet of Communist guns on both banks of the river. She followed the merchant ship Kiang Ling Liberation, which showed the way through the shoals and distracted the PLA. At 0500 hours on 31 July, Amethyst approached the PLA forts at Par Shan (Baoshan) and Woosung (Wusong) with their searchlights sweeping the river.

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1951
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