For anyone not up with it kerans was the officer sent to get hms amethyst out of the. Provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises amethyst march soundtrack recording from the film yangtse incident leighton lucas w his orchestra leighton lucas the golden age of light. This is a short introduction to the hms amethyst incident in the yangtse river when she was fired on by communist forces with heavy losses to. April, 1949, british warship hms amethyst sails up the yangtse river on her way to nanking, china, to deliver supplies to the british embassy. Richard todd is starring, alongside william hartnell, akim tamiroff, donald houston, keye luke and sophie stewart. Today in this present day and age 2009 as we approach the 60 th anniversary of the 1949 yangtze incident, a shipscompliment that was involved in that now known as the 1949 yangtze campaign, has still never been recognised in the british award system for the part they and the ship h. Amethyst is a british war film that tells the story of the british frigate hms amethyst caught up in the chinese civil war it was based upon the book written by lawrence earl. Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news. Amethyst, and the battle of baltinglass, which won the 1953 stephen leacock memorial medal for humour. While sailing lawfully up the yangste in 1949, the british warship amethyst found its return to the open sea blocked by communist chinese shore batteries that. Upon leaving school, he trains for a potential military career at royal.
Amethyst story based on the book by lawrence earl and an idea by associate producer franklin gollings is of the amethyst, which, battered though not. This is a film i remember from my childhood when i used to go to the pictures with my parents. The real story serious spoiler warning dont read further this point if you want to discover the story of hms amethyst by watching this film on 20 april 1949, during chinese civil war, frigate hms amethyst was on her way from shanghai to nanking to replace destroyer hms consort, which was standing as guard ship for the british embassy. In april 1949, with civil war raging in china between the chinese communist peoples liberation army and nationalist kuomintang forces, the frigate a type of.
After a failed rescue mission by a sister ship, the remaining crew members put into action a. Through the eyes of a british documentary, this film takes a satirically humorous, and sometimes frightening, look at the history of an america where the south won the civil war. Facts by film yangtse incident by topic by person by film. Quite a good story without hitting any great heights. This movie is claimed to be accurate depiction of the incident and is here for educational purposes. The yangtse incident 1957 tells the true story of the british ship hms amethyst. The battle sceanes are excellently done using real ships. 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 richard todd starred as kerans in the 1957 film yangtse incident. Amethyst 1957 is a british war film that tells the story of the british sloop hms amethyst caught up in the chinese civil war and involved in the 1949 yangtze incident. As the amethysts main engines were no longer operational, hms magpie stood in for the shots of the ship moving.
The yangtse incident is the saga of the amethyst, a british vessel left stranded in china during the communist takeover. Concord, played when ordered to go to the assistance of h. He is best known for yangtse incident, which was adapted into the 1957 film yangtse incident. Yangtse incident aka battle hell rare and collectible. The film was known in the us by the alternative titles battle hell, escape of the amethyst, their greatest glory and yangtze incident. Much of the film was actually shot on board hms amethyst itself. Richard andrew palethorpe todd obe, an english soldier, stage and film actor and film director, is born in dublin on june 11, 1919 todd spends a few of his childhood years in india, where his father, an officer in the british army, serves as a physician.
Later his family moves to devon and he attends shrewsbury school. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The yangtse incident 1957 war film ship under attack youtube. A web page featuring information about yangtse incident. The film was known in the us by the alternative titles battle hell, escape of the amethyst, their greatest glory. The story of hms amethyst is a 1957 british war film starring richard todd the dam busters that tells the story of the british frigate hms amethyst caught up in the chinese civil war. Amethyst is a dramawar film, released on august 21 of 1957 in the usa. In april 1949, with civil war raging in china between the chinese communist peoples liberation army and nationalist kuomintang forces, the frigate a type of warship hms amethyst was ordered up the yangtze river to act as a guardship for the british embassy in nanjing when it was around 70 miles away from nanjing, amethyst came under fire from communist artillery batteries on. Yangtse incident film hms amethysts escape from the red. A good, true, story of british derring do and winning against the odds, it is well told and brilliantly acted. While sailing lawfully up the yangste river in 1949, the british warship amethyst found its return to the open sea blocked by communist chinese shore. While on a legitimate, peaceful mission on the yangtse. A good old british movies from yesteryear giving an interesting account of the yangtse incident in 1949 involving the royal navy sloop, hms amethyst. Lawrence earl april 29, 1915 april 5, 2005, born lawrence earl weizel, was a canadian photojournalist and author of several books.
Amethyst is a film directed by michael anderson with richard todd, william hartnell, akim tamiroff, donald houston, year. Richard todd, william hartnell, akim tamiroff, donald houston, keye luke, sophie stewart, robert urquhart, james. Yangtse incident aka battle hell in 1949, during the chinese civil war, british warship h. Amethyst sails up the yangtse river but on the return trip finds its way blocked by a barrage fire from the communist chinese shore batteries. Homecoming vengeance et seduction film dhorreur en francais 2018 mischa barton, matt long. Festival cannes film festival, film movie classic, yangtse incident.
Amethyst march soundtrack recording from the film yangtse incident amethyst march soundtrack recording from the film yangtse incident you can find this track on. Directed by michael anderson, it stars richard todd, william hartnell, and akim tamiroff it was based upon the book written by lawrence earl. The story of hms amethyst in the us most commonly released as battle hell, but also as escape of the amethyst and their greatest glory. In 1949, at the height of the chinese civil war that saw communist rule come to china, the british ship was travelling, with full permission of the existing chinese government, to the city of nanking, conveying. Amethyst attacked by the peoples liberation army whilst sailing along the yangtze river to nanking in 1949. A british frigate is heavily shelled and captured by chinese communists on the yangtse river in 1949. The film closes with king george vis words following the incident. Amethyst, the frigate which became famous for its exploits on the yangtse in 1949. The british government tries to reclaim the amethyst, only to run up.