Evening star., 1949-04-22
Crippled British SIoop.
Reported Hill Again by.
Red Guns on Yangtze
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

SHANGHAI, April 22.-The
crippled British sloop Amethyst
4, was hit again today by Communist
artillery when she tried to move
, up the Yangtze to Nanking, 1t
was reliably reported tonight. 1t
was not known II there were any
new casualties.
In all, a British seamen have
been killed and at least 81 wound
Cd by Communist gunners In
attacks on four British warships.
beginning Wednesday.
Nineteen of the dead were
among the Amethyst's crew and
included the captain, 1t. Comdr
3. M. Skinner. His body and one
other. and the remainder of the
Amethyst's wounded reached
Shanghai by train tonight.
Several Of the wounded suffered
loss of limbs.
IL Buried "At Sea-"
British naval authorities said the
other II dead from the Amethyst
had been buried "at sea-" presum-
ably In the big river.
The Amethyst. first British ship
attacked, was trapped In the river
90 miles east Of Marking while on
q routine mission to that Nation
alist capital. The destroyer Con-
sort, cruiser London and sloop
Black Swan were hit when they
vainly tried to go to the Amethyst's
aid. All fired back at the Com
munists on the north bank.
Earlier today the Amethyst
moved 10 miles downstream to-
ward Shanghai, only to be driven
back by Red guns. She may try
again to reach Marking in dark
ness.
British Navy headquarters
ut Singapore reported q Royal
Air Force flying boat tried to
make o landing near the Anne
thyst and was driven away by
Red fire. This apparently was
o second attempt, A flying
boat earlier had landed near
the Amethyst and put doctor
aboard.)
Other Ships ut Shanghai.
The three other British men-of-
war which tried to 60 to the
Amethyst's relief lay at Shanghai
wharves, crippled by Communist
shell FIRE.
The American naval hospital
ship Repose arrived at Shanghai
from the Western fleet base at
Tsingtao and its facilities were
turned over to the British.
The county hospital In shans-
hal said f1ve Of the Consort's in
tured were In serious condition.
The Consort was the first to
try to 60 to the Amethyst's aid
when the sloop was hit and driven
ashore.
Details Of Action.
Then the London, with its
S-inch guns, and sloop Black
Swan made the attempt. A Brit
ish Embassy source In Nankins
gave this account OF what hap
pened then: SO fttV ~
The London flew q white nag
16 feet square as 1t sailed eau
tiously up the Yangtze. The
cruiser still was z miles from the
Amethyst when Red artillery
opened IRE without warning.
After Q second round Of Red
shells struck her, the London re-
piled with al guns that could be
brought to bear. The cruiser then
retreated down the Yangtze with
IL large holes in her hull. The
Black Swan also was hit by artil-
lery fire but was not damaged
extensively.
Trying to Contact Reds.
A British Embassy representative
was reported to be trying to get in
touch with the Communists long
enough to permit the Amethyst to
be taken either to Nankins or
Shanghai.
Meanwhile. possibly two more
British warships were heading for
the Yangtse.
1t was reported reliably that the
Destroyer Constance now was en-
route from Hong Kons, and that
the cruiser Belfast also may b
brought UP.