Simon was smuggled on board the HMS Amethyst by a 17 year old sailor who found the sick hungry cat in Hong Kong. The cat quickly made himself both useful and lovable presenting rats to beloved sailors and sleeping in the captains hat. The ship changed hands and the new captain loved Simon as well. As the ship took its first mission up the Yangtze river it was attacked by communists, in 1949, during the "Yangtze Incident." A cannon shot through the captains quarters killing the captain and injuring Simon badly. Simon was repaired by the ships doctors, but not expected to live the night. Simon recovered and was handed over to a third captain who was indifferent to his charm. The recovering Simon again made himself useful, killing off the rat infestation and raising morale. Simon is the only cat to have been rewarded the Dickin Medal, an award to honor valorous animals. He also received the blue cross, the Amythest Campaign Medal, and was given the rank "Able Seacat" created especially for him. Entering the U.K., Simon had to go through quarantine like all animals do. He died of a complication that was a result of a virus contractced through his war wounds
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