Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst

On 19 April 1949, the Royal Navy sloop HMS ''Amethyst'' sails up the Yangtze River on her way to Nanking, the Chinese capital, to deliver supplies to the British Embassy. Suddenly, without warning, People's Liberation Army (PLA) shore batteries open fire and after a heavy engagement, ''Amethyst'' lies grounded in the mud and badly damaged. attempts to tow ''Amethyst'' off the mud bank, but is herself hit several times and has to depart. A further rescue attempt by two other ships also comes under heavy fire and has to be aborted.