|
I have:
"William PORTER of Amethyst Green, Drigg: Master of H.M.S. Amethyst, which he is said to have brought home under difficulties, his superior officers being dead or disabled...."
Does anyone know about this incident?
Thanks
AJ
|
|
try googling for info - I'm fairly sure HMS Amethyst featured large in WW2 in the North Atlantic - the name Amethyst certainly rings some loud bells from that direction for me
|
|
here it is - Yangtze incident -
External links
[edit] World War Two
Amethyst was deployed mostly on anti-submarine patrols and escort duties. On 20 February 1945 she attacked and sank the U-boat U-1276 with depth charges. The action took place in the North Atlantic, south of Waterford and resulted in the loss of all 49 of the U-boat's crew.
[edit] Yangtze Incident
On 20 April 1949, HMS Amethyst was on her way from Shanghai to Nanjing (Nanking) on the Yangtze River to replace HMS Consort, which was standing as guard ship for the British Embassy there due to the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communists. At around 08:31, after a burst of small arms fire, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) field gun battery on the north bank of the river fired a salvo of ten shells, which fell well short of the ship, and was assumed to be part of a regular bombardment of Nationalist forces on the south bank. Speed was increased, and large Union flags were unfurled on either side of the ship, after which there was no more firing.
At 09:30, as the frigate approached Jiangyin (Kiangyin) further up the river, she came under sustained fire from a second PLA battery. The first shell passed over the ship, but the second hit the wheelhouse, and the injured coxswain grounded Amethyst on Rose Island. The bridge was also hit, mortally wounding Lieutenant Commander B. M. Skinner and injuring First-Lieutenant Geoffrey Weston, before he could pass on the captain's order to return fire. Other PLA shells exploded in the sick bay, the port engine room, and finally the generator, just after the injured Weston's last transmission: "Under heavy fire. Am aground in approx position 31.10' North 119.50' East. Large number of casualties." The loss of power also disabled the gyrocompass, and electrically controlled firing circuits. Amethyst was now a helpless target.
The frigate grounded in such a way that neither of the two gun turrets at the front of the ship could be brought to bear on the PLA batteries, leaving the single stern turret to return fire with some thirty shells before it was hit, knocking out one of its two guns. The remaining gun returned a few more shots until ordered by Weston to cease fire in the hope that this would cause the PLA to do likewise. The shore batteries, however, continued to fire both medium and heavy artillery, causing more damage and casualties to the ship. Weston ordered the uninjured crewmen to take up sniping positions with rifles and Bren guns, and prepare to repel boarders.
Some time between 10:00 and 10:30, Weston ordered the immediate evacuation of most of the crew. Everyone capable of swimming was ordered over the side, while the non-swimmers and walking wounded used the only one of the ship's boats left undamaged. Fifty-nine ratings and four Chinese mess boys made it to the Kuomintang-controlled Southern bank, but several more were cut down in the water by PLA machine gun and artillery fire before reaching safety. Those that survived were taken to a nearby Nationalist Army hospital, and afterwards trucked back to Shanghai. Remaining on board were about 40 unwounded men, 12 wounded, and 15 dead. The shelling had stopped, but no one could move without drawing the attention of PLA snipers.
By the time the shelling stopped at about 11:00, 22 men had been killed and 31 wounded in all. Amethyst had received over 50 hits and holes below the waterline were plugged with hammocks and bedding. During this time HMS Consort was sighted, flying seven White Ensigns and three Union flags, steaming down from Nanking at 29 knots. Consort came under fire from the shore batteries and returned fire with 4.5 inch (114 mm) guns, destroying the enemy shore batteries before she attempted to take Amethyst in tow. HMS Consort turned about with all guns blazing at the north bank batteries, destroying an enemy position. However, Consort came under heavy fire, and the attempt was abandoned with 10 killed and three injured.
Lieutenant Geoffrey Weston refloated Amethyst on 22 April and moved her out of range of the PLA's artillery. The British Naval Attaché Lieutenant-Commander John Simon Kerans joined the ship later that day and assumed command.
On 26 April an attempt to free the Amethyst from the mud was successful, the ship then proceeded to move up river and anchored off Fu Te Wei. Later that day a signal was received: "HM ships London and Black Swan are moving up river to escort the Amethyst down stream. Be ready to move." The cruiser London and the frigate (ex-sloop and Amethyst's sister ship) Black Swan were heavily shelled as they attempted to help Amethyst and retreated with 3 killed and 14 wounded. In Chinese records this battle happened on 22 April.[citation needed] The PLA's casualties were 252 in these artillery duels.[1]
Amethyst remained under guard by the PLA for ten weeks, with vital supplies being withheld from the ship. Negotiations were stuck because Kerans would not accept Major Kung's demand that the British admit that they had wrongly invaded Chinese national waters and had fired upon the PLA first. Because the communists (and later the People's Republic of China) did not acknowledge any treaties between the previous Chinese government and British, they insisted that it was illegal for Amethyst to cruise in the Yangtze river. On 30 April, the PLA demanded that Britain, the United States, and France quickly withdraw their armed forces from any parts of China. One interesting fact is that the PLA commander Ye Fei admitted that it was his troops that fired first, but he didn't reveal this until recent years. Therefore, during the negotiation, the communists kept insisting that the British ship fired first.[2]
On 30 July 1949 Amethyst slipped her chain and headed downriver in the dark, beginning a 104-mile 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 of 31 July, Amethyst approached the PLA forts at Wusong (Woosung) and Par Shan with their searchlights sweeping the river. The Amethyst, at full speed ahead, broke through the boom at the mouth of the river and made contact with HMS Concord, the signal transmitted: "Have rejoined the fleet off Woosung...God save the King."
Chinese records state that the PLA warned the Amethyst to stop, "but she opened fire on, collided with, and sank a number of junks and escaped from the Yangtse River."
The American Suspense radio series included an episode entitled Log of the Marne (22 October 1951), largely based on the events of the Yangtze incident.[citation needed]
In the 1957 film Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst (released as Battle Hell in the US, and also as Escape of the Amethyst and Their Greatest Glory) starring Richard Todd as Kerans, Amethyst re-enacted her role. During filming, however, a special effects explosion created more damage than during the real incident, and she was replaced with the recently decommissioned Magpie.
|
|
Just an observation but the HMS Amethyst referred to in the previous post regarding the Yangtze incident was a Second World War warship and would not be the ship that the thread poster is looking for as his ancestor died in 1849.
The HMS Amethyst that I think you are referring to Arthur is either the ship that was wrecked in 1811 or the 26 gun Spartan Class sixth rate that was launched in 1844.
Its worth noting that there were no RN warships bearing the Amethyst name between 1811 and 1844
|
|
so I got the wrong AMETHYST
then!!! DOH!!
|
|
The Battle of Pacocha - HMS Shah & Amethyst & Peruvian Huascar 1877.
battle between HMS Shah & Amethyst and the Peruvian Ironclad turret ship Huascar on the 29th May 1877. The Huascar had been taken over by Peruvian revolutionaries and declared a pirate by the Peruvian government. The Shah and Amethyst were ordered to protect British Merchant Shipping and after the Huascar had stopped several British merchant ships, the Royal Navy decided to hunt down the Huascar. In the action depicted, the 70 guns of the British were unable to do much damage to the Huascar as she was an heavily-built ironclad. In return the gunnery crew of the Huascar was not well drilled enough to hit the British ships much. In desperation the Shah launched a Whitehead torpedo at the Huascar, but the Peruvian ship was able to dodge it with ease. The battle became a stalemate and the two sides slipped away after darkness. Reputedly this was the last action by a wooden warship, firing a broadside of muzzle-loading guns and the first use of a torpedo in anger.
|
|
Oh Ann don't get cross but this is the wrong incident as well - the person Arthur is hunting died in 1849. From what Arthur has posted it is hard to say at what age he left the Navy or if he died fairly soon after he returned to the UK. I think Arthur needs to give us more information regarding what information he has himself.
|
|
just off to kill myself now!!!!!
|
|
seems Arthur's gone to ground anyway!!
|
|
Hey Greengables, be fair - it's less than 24 hrs since posting.
All I have is the entry from a monograph on the Porters. I have see both the Chinese & Peruvian info. The 1811 wreck is probably not the one I'm after. Just guessing that it may be a Napolionic thing.
William built "Amethyst Green" possibly after he left the Navy. As "Master" would this make him a member of the Merchant rather than the Royal Navy?
If anyone knows when "Amethyst Green" was built it would narrow down the time.
William Married Jane who died 8 February, 1880, aged 81. He died 14/July 1849, aged 67. Tablet in Drigg Church.
Thanks everyone for your responses.
Arthur
|
|
Thanks Carol,
I'm in Australia - is there anything available on-line.
AJ
|
|
Hi Folks,
This may add clarity or just confusion to the thread -
HMS Amethyst
Eight ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Amethyst:The first Amethyst was originally a French 36-gun fifth-rate frigate called Perle, captured in 1793, wrecked in 1795 near Alderney.The second Amethyst, launched in 1799, was a 36-gun fifth-rate frigate, wrecked in Plymouth Sound in 1811.The third Amethyst, launched in 1844, was a Spartan-class 26-gun sixth-rate frigate, sold in 1869.The forth Amethyst, launched in 1871, was the lead ship of her class of wooden screw corvettes. Sold in 1887.The fifth Amethyst, launched in 1903, was a Topaze-class third-class cruiser. In World War I, the flagship of Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt, she fought at the battles of Heligoland Bight and Dardanelles. She was scrapped in 1920.The sixth Amethyst (T12), commissioned in 1935, was an anti-submarine trawler. She was sunk by a mine on 24 November 1940.The seventh Amethyst (U16/F116), launched in 1943, was built as a modified Black Swan-class sloop, and served World War II, pennant number U16. Post-War she was modified and redesignated as a frigate, renumbered F116. In 1949 she came under fire from the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the Yangtze River. Broken up in 1957.The Eighth Amethyst, launched in 1983 was a Minehunter originally called HMS Waveney, sold to the Bangladeshi Navy in 1994.
So, though mine may have been the first, I may be wrong about the 2nd, the 1811 wreck. But I still can find no info on anything that may have killed or disabled the senior officers.
Arthur
|
|
no offence was meant Arthur - we all got into the spirit of the thing and just wanted you in on the act - shall endeavour not to get too enthusiastic in future!!! I was barking up the wrong gum tree anyway
|
|
Do you know what rank your relative held on HMS Amethyst. I assume that he then built himself a merchant vessel which he called the Amethyst Green
He would have been Master of the merchant vessel but would have held a naval rate or rank on the RN ship however he may have also been a Master / naval rank in the navy
|
|
Hi Folks,
Pat - NO offence taken - with the "I'll just go & kill myself" - knew you had a sense of humour.
Col _ William was Master of the Amethyst - I've seen dramatisations of Napolionic era where it appears that a Naval ship is handled by a civilian Master following orders of the Captain. He appears to be in charge of the day to day sailing of the ship. Don't know if William held an actual rank.Possibly he did.
Amethyst Green is not a ship, but his home near Drigg (Cumberland/Lancashire?).. Again, an assumption that he built it after his Naval carreer. His daughter, mentioned earlier in the thread was baptised at Drigg.
Carol - NMM looks promosing, but no luck yet.
Thanks to you all.
Arthur
|
|
Dont know if youve seen this?
Porter Wm Capt.Amethyst Green Drigg 1847
Thats from ..Cumbrian Genealogy....so looks like hes a captain.
Kay
|
|
Have you seen the reference to his will on the a2a site? He's described as Master, Royal Navy.
|
|
Hi Arthur,
Do you know if you have a Henry Porter also known as Aubrey in your family tree.
My maiden name is Porter and my grandfather Joseph Porter was born in Carlilse Cumberland in feb 1910.
I have been trying to research the Porter's for a while now and keep hitting a brick wall with them.
All i know is Aubrey or Henry was born c1881 he was living at the Castle in Carlilse in 1904 when he married Elizabeth Pearson Long he was in the Border Regiment army medical corps.
Let us know if you have them in your family tree.
Regards
Paula
|
|
Back again,
Carol - 1873 is too late.
Now annlaurie - tried a2a, but couldn't fond will - can you provide more assistance.
Kay can you give more info -- Porter Wm Capt.Amethyst Green Drigg 1847 - I couldn't find it.
|
|
Hi Arthur,
I googled..Porter amethyst green drigg.
About the fifth one down... cumbrian genealogy..
That seems to show him living there in 1847.
There is a porter tree on the list as well
Good luck
Kay
|
