 Simon was the ship's cat of HMS "Amethyst" during the Yangtze Incident in 1949, and was wounded in the bombardment of the ship which killed 25 of "Amethyst"’s crew, including the commanding officer.He soon recovered and resumed killing rats and keeping up the crew's morale.He was appointed to the rank of 'Able Seacat' Simon and became a celebrity after the ship escaped the Yangtze and returned to Britain.