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Navy Heroes Honored After Yangtze Ordeal
29 May
Summary
- Eight Northern Ireland sailors were honored for their bravery.
- A memorial plaque was unveiled after an eight-year campaign.
- The incident involved the HMS Amethyst on the Yangtze River.
Eight sailors from Northern Ireland, alongside their crewmates aboard HMS Amethyst, have finally received public recognition for their involvement in the 1949 Yangtze incident. Following an eight-year campaign spearheaded by their sons, Andrew Bannister and Raymond McCullough Jr., a memorial plaque was unveiled in Newtownabbey, County Antrim. This tribute commemorates the bravery of the sailors who were captured after their ship was attacked by Communist forces while evacuating British citizens.
The harrowing incident occurred during the final months of the Chinese Civil War. The HMS Amethyst sustained heavy shelling, leading to the deaths of 20 men and wounding 30 more. Those on board were held captive for months, an ordeal later depicted in the 1957 film 'Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S Amethyst.'
Raymond McCullough Jr. described the plaque as a fitting tribute, ensuring their fathers and the other crew members would be remembered by future generations. Andrew Bannister added that the country has many heroes deserving of recognition. Both sons noted that as children, they did not fully grasp the trauma their fathers endured during and after the incident.
The campaign also involved the recovery of medals. Bannister, after years of research, managed to retrieve his father's medals, which had been sold during a period of financial hardship. The shared journey of Bannister and McCullough Jr. began when they connected after Bannister's appearance on the Antiques Roadshow in 2018, discovering their fathers' shared experiences on the HMS Amethyst.
