Ship's Cats Able Seaman Simon

Artist: Celia Pike

 The cards are printed in the UK on 280gsm FSC accredited board with recycled brown paper envelopes.

The cards are blank inside and suitable for all occasions.

Sizes 177 x 127mm (7” x 5”)

Card & envelopes are nested, i.e., no cello bags or plastic packaging.

In 1949, the crew of the Royal Navy frigate HMS Amethyst included a cat called Simon. When the ship came under attack during a mission in a conflict zone in the Yangtse River, 25 men were killed and many, including Simon, were badly injured. Happily, Simon recovered. There followed a 3-month siege, during which the crew suffered dreadful conditions. Simon not only dealt with a serious rat problem, but also provided comfort, affection and entertainment, generally keeping the men’s spirits up. His fame spread back home and when the Amethyst finally escaped, he was hailed a hero. Renamed Able Seaman Simon by his crew, he was the first cat to be awarded the PDSA Dickin medal for bravery.