| Simon The World War 2 ship hero cat | by aminahbee_ for everyone |
The medal was instituted by Mrs Maria Dickin, who founded the (PDSA) People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a veterinary charity that now operates 45 animal hospitals across Britain and helps out in 82 smaller communities.
When he wasn't ratting, Simon and Peggy, the ship's dog (a terrier) comforted their wounded shipmates, who had to endure stifling heat and swarms of mosquitoes, and sometimes even rats nibbling at their fingers and toes … When Amethyst finally escaped, her C/O, Lt-Cdr John Simon Kerans, contacted the PDSA to recommend Simon for a Dickin VC medal. Aside from his conspicuous gallantry in dealing with the rats, wrote Lt-Cdr Kerans, "Simon presence on the ship, together with Peggy the dog, was a decided factor in maintaining the high level of morale of the ship's company. They gave the ship an air of domesticity and normality in a situation which in other aspects was very trying."
As the ship sailed on to Hong Kong, news of the 'Yangtse Incident' was spread by radio and newspapers, and the crew were hailed as heroes — as was Simon. It was a story welcomed by a country still trying to recover from the horrors of World War 2. While the ship was being repaired in dock in Hong Kong, a message was received from the Armed Forces Mascot Club suggesting that, subject to the captain's recommendation, Simon should be awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal award for gallantry, often referred to as the 'Animals' VC'. Lt Cdr Kerans lost no time in writing a citation and the medal was awarded by unanimous agreement. Not only was Simon the first — and so far the only — cat to gain the medal, but it was the first time a Royal Navy animal had received it. A special collar in the colours of the medal ribbon was sent for Simon to wear, and he was due to be presented with the actual medal upon his return to the UK.
When news of the award reached the media, Simon became a celebrity, as well as a hero. There were photocalls aboard, newsreel film of him, and his pictures went around the world; he seemed to enjoy posing for them. Letters, poems, gifts of food, cat toys arrived by every post; a special 'cat officer' had to be appointed for a while! One day, though, maybe tired of all the fuss, Simon walked down the gangplank and went ashore — something he had never before done since joining the ship. The captain, who by now had become a firm fan, was alarmed and sent the crew to search for him; they failed to find him, but three hours later, the cat strolled nonchalantly back on board.
When Amethyst finally sailed for England, there was more publicity at every port of call. Plymouth was finally reached at the beginning of November 1949. But even heroes are subject to quarantine regulations, and Simon had to be incarcerated for the standard six-month period, for which he went to Surrey. He was given plenty of attention, with numerous visitors queuing up to see him, plenty of messages and presents, and play every day with the member of staff responsible for him. In addition, and probably most importantly for Simon, he had regular visits from some of the Amethyst crew including Kerans, who planned to collect the cat when his quarantine period was over.
The medal presentation was set for 11 December, and the PDSA's founder and instigator of the medal, Maria Dickin — then 79 — was to be present, as indeed was the Lord Mayor of London. But it was not to be. Simon became listless, and when a vet was urgently sent for, the cat had a high temperature. He was given an injection and tablets, and then seemed to sleep. His carer sat with him all night; but by the morning of 28 November he had died. He was still a youngster. The vet felt that he would have recovered from the virus had his heart not been weakened by his war wounds: but it just could not cope. Maybe the fact that he was in a strange place, rather than at sea on 'his' ship with his friends, did not help.
I like what one of his biographers wrote: '. . . the spirit of Simon slipped quietly away to sea.'
Lt Cdr Kerans and the crew were devastated; and when Simon's death was announced, cards, letters and flowers began to arrive at the quarantine shelter by the truckload. His photograph and a tribute appeared in the obituary columns of Time magazine. He was buried in the PDSA's animal cemetery at Ilford, east of London; a specially made casket was draped with the Union flag, and Father Henry Ross, rector of St Augustine's church, held a short ceremony. After the burial, a specially designed stone monument was placed, with the legend, and it remains to this day.
IN
MEMORY OF
"SIMON"
SERVED IN
H.M.S. AMETHYST
MAY 1948 — SEPTEMBER 1949
AWARDED DICKIN MEDAL
AUGUST 1949
DIED 28TH NOVEMBER 1949.
THROUGHOUT THE YANGTZE INCIDENT
HIS BEHAVIOUR WAS OF THE HIGHEST ORDER
Photo: Simon memorial in Ilford Pet Cemetery.
Simon's medal was accepted posthumously on his behalf by Lt Cdr and Mrs Kerans.
When his medal was sold at auction in 1993, it fetched 짙23,467.
Photo: The Dickin Medal awarded to Simon of HMS Amethyst, the equivalent of the Victoria Cross the animals.
