Simon Ships Out
How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero
Simon Ships Out by Jacky Donovan. Uniquely quirky look at HMS Amethyst true story told thru humorous voice of Able Seacat Simon the ship's cat. Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero is a warm hearted and humorous look at a horrific war incident which most people today are unaware of. Able Seacat Simon was, at the time of the Yangtze Incident, a worldwide hero and photos of Able Seacat Simon appeared in the worldwide media, on television, Pathe News and even eventually Able Seacat Simon's obituary was posted in Time Magazine.
Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero is narrated by Able Seacat Simon himself and is a witty, heartwarming tale of an exceptionally brave and wonderful cat.
Able Seacat Simon was, and still is, the only cat ever to have won the PDSA Dickin Medal, awarded to animals for bravery in war situations. It has currently been won by 65 animals - horses, dogs and pigeons - but Able Seacat Simon remains the only cat to have been honoured with it. His memoir Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero is enticingly told and published in time for a significant anniversary of the Yangtze Incident in which Able Seacat Simon was involved.
The Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero by Jacky Donovan is available in both kindle and paperback format. It is suitable for adults and children. Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero makes a perfect present for catlovers and animal lovers. It will entertain anybody who enjoys an exciting, adventurous, humorous and emotional tale of one exceptional cat's ability to be a hero and a source of great compassion to the crew of HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident.
I hope you enjoy Able Seacat Simon's story and recommend it to all cat lovers and animal lovers.
What readers are saying about me
"Simon" says to read this book! Because it's his story!
We are all familiar with famous wartime animals. Donald Duck (Navy) and Snoopy (The Red Baron) being the most notable. But what if I told you that there was an actual, real-life cat that has survived harsh wartime conditions, and even won a medal?
The disappointingly ordinarily named cat Simon (considering how awesome this cat is) is smuggled aboard the HMS Amethyst, a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy during WWII. He, and “ship dog” Peggy have their own fight aboard the ship: Rats. Yes, while the British Naval Servicemen were fighting Chinese Communists, Simon was fighting a scourge of rats aboard the ship! When the Amethyst runs aground, and is stranded for 101 days, Simon fights his fight, to save the food stores for the men aboard, so they could fight for us all at home. There is more to the story, and I won’t spoil everything, but Simon did win a medal for “Animal Gallantry in Wartime”, which is military talk for “Wicked Brave Cat”.
Alright, I will admit, when I first looked at this book, I thought it was ridiculous. But I ended up checking it out, because I happen to like ridiculous. But I have to say, this book was a fantastic read. WWII in general is a fascinating era for me, and I was especially interested in reading this story from such a unique perspective. And what a unique perspective it is, after all, A CAT IS TELLING THE STORY! DID I NOT MENTION THAT EARLER?! WHY AM I YELLING?
But honestly, this book was a fantastic read from start to finish, and I highly recommend this completely unique WWII story.
Marvellous "tail of a PDSA Dickin Medal recipient
“Simon Ships Out” is a marvelous tail (er, tale) of Able Seacat Simon, a survivor of the 1949 Yangtze Incident onboard the HMS Amethyst. Recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal (bronze medallion given to animals in war), Simon’s story is told through a “cat’s eye view of life on board HMS Amethyst,” thanks to input and anecdotal stories told by survivors. The events of this memoir take place over approximately one year as we are given a feline view of life in Hong Kong followed by life in His Majesty’s Navy and oh, what a splendid tale it is.
While admittedly, the author does take artistic license with many of the thoughts and words expressed by Simon, the story itself is based on historical incidents that took place during World War II.
The work and research that went into it is evident as this well-done story unfolds. Lovers of war-based historical memoirs told from an unusual perspective will greatly enjoy this retelling of the story involving a cat, who simply by being present, gave a daily reminder to the men onboard that there is life out there, good things and that strength can sometimes be found in the smallest and furriest of place
