Sons whose sailor fathers escaped the Yangtze Incident meet after seventy years

The sons of two men who survived one of the Royal Navy's greatest ever escapes in China in 1949 have launched a book about their fathers' experiences.

The Belfast Boys tells the story of Sammy Bannister and Ray McCullough Snr which was immortalised in the 1957 classic film, the Yangtse Incident.

The book is written by Andy Bannister the son of H.M.S. Amethyst Belfast stoker Sammy Bannister with insertions by Raymond McCullough, son of, Able Seaman Ray McCullough Snr.

"This is the story of how young men from both sides of the divide in Belfast and surrounding areas of Ireland, joined the Royal Navy. Very soon into their careers they found themselves facing the Chinese People's Liberation Army.''

''The events took place in a war-torn China in 1949 whilst serving on board the Royal Navy Frigate, HMS Amethyst,'' Andy Bannister told UTV.

''After coming under unprovoked heavy artillery fire power, and suffering many losses, they were trapped by their captors. Despite this, they managed a daring midnight run to freedom.''

Andy's father was seriously wounded during the escape.

"He was wounded by shrapnel to his chest, he was operated on in a very basic hospital and there was no anaesthetic but they saved his life," Andy revealed.

Seventy years later and after a long campaign to return medals awarded to one of their fathers Andy met Raymond McCullough Jnr.

They began a joint campaign to have their fathers' and fellow crew mates recognised for their bravery

Raymond McCullough said they were men from both communities who were onboard the ship.

"They were young man along with a lot of other young men from Northern Ireland from both sides of the divide. And there's a big story and there's more so stories within that and if we don't write it down we're going to lose it,"he said.

Raymond said his father never let his children talk about the time he spent in the Navy.

"My father being from the Catholic background unfortunately there was an element where if you served in services, you might have been some sort of target or whatever."

"So he kept it quiet and told us to keep it quiet. And now we're hoping we use our voices and through this book speak volumes for them," he added.

In another poignant twist it also turns out that both men's grandmothers met awaiting their son's return.

"Another revelation came to light a few years later when I discovered a photograph of both our grandmothers together who had their sons coming back from the incident," said Raymond.

"We weren't born and yet, 70 years later, we find out that not only did they serve onboard, they were friends on Amethyst and their grandmothers specifically were arm-in-arm waiting for them when they came home," he added.

Kerry Rooney from HMS Caroline explained the connection between the two ships and stories.

"We find that a lot within the Navy. There's always these personal connection histories. Some of the gentleman that served on the Amethyst, their grandfathers actually served on HMS Caroline during the Battle of Jutland. And we find that a lot of the Navy there is a proud tradition from fathers to sons hunt down through generations," he said.

The Bannisters and McCulloughs now want a permanent memorial here on Maritime Mile, not just for their fathers, but for all the other Belfast boys who fought and died and those who survived one of the most well-known one escapes in naval history.

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