British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important Palestine, Second World War and Yangtze incident group of seven awarded to Chief Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic Owen Aubrey, Royal Navy, the senior of Amethyst’s 18 ratings killed in action during the Yangtze incident of 1949

Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1936-1939, Yangtze 1949 (KX. 80796 O. F. C. Aubrey, Sto.1 R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (KX. 80796 O. F. C. Aubrey, Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Boscawen) mounted for display, extremely fine (7) £6000-8000

Sold with original Certificate of Service, tunic ribbons, named condolence slip for WW2 medals, another named condolence slip for the ‘clasp to the Naval General Service Medal previously awarded to…’, this last an extreme rarity, and a copy of Coxswain Leslie Frank’s diary of the Yangtze incident.

Owen Frederick Charles Aubrey was born at Fovant, Wiltshire, on 24 July 1912. He entered the Royal Navy in October 1930 as a Stoker 2nd Class, serving aboard H.M.S. Hood, from March 1931, before volunteering for service in submarines from November 1934. After completing his training course Aubrey served aboard H.M. Ships Cyclops and Douglas, including service in Palestine, before rejoining the submarine service at H.M.S. Dolphin, serving in the submarine H32 up to the outbreak of war. In November 1939 he joined the destroyer Antelope and served in her until April 1944, shortly afterwards joining Boscawen, in which ship he received his L.S. & G.C. medal in December 1945.

Aubrey joined Amethyst on 9 November 1947, by now a Chief Stoker Petty Officer Mechanic. At 0832 on 20 April 1949, Amethyst was fired upon by communist Chinese forces on the north bank of the river Yangtze. Firing ceased at 0845, so far without casualties to the ship, but recommenced half an hour later when several direct hits were registered and serious casualties occurred. The following extracts are taken from Coxswain Leslie Frank’s diary entry for 20th April:

‘As the casualties still continued to mount it was decided to abandon the ship…

About sixty ratings swam ashore but were fired upon in the water both by small arms and artillery, and no one else was allowed to leave the ship…

Of those that swam ashore it was later learnt that about 50 of them reached Shanghai, about 10 remained on the bank and later returned to the ship, one was killed (Ch. Sto. Aubrey), and three were carried down river and picked up by Consort, one is missing and two were taken to hospital ashore.’

Chief Stoker Aubrey was the senior rating killed from Amethyst’s crew from the total of 22 killed, which includes Lieutenant-Commander Skinner, Surgeon-Lieutenant Alderton, and two Chinese ratings.

A replacement group was issued to this recipient circa 1980