The Naval General Service Medal awarded to Stoker Mechanic R. G. Gifford, Royal Navy who was killed in action whilst serving in H.M.S. Consort during the Yangtze incident, 20 April 1949

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasps, Yangtze 1949 (D/KX 134757 R. G. Gifford. Sto. Mech. R.N.); together with an H.M.S. Consort cap tally, edge bruise, otherwise good very fine £1,200-£1,600

Provenance: Christie’s, November 1986.

Raymond George Gifford, a native of Bristol, was killed whilst serving aboard H.M.S. Consort during the Yangtze incident on 20 April 1949

The destroyer H.M.S. Consort, under Commander Ian Roberston, D.S.C., was guardship at Nanking, the Chinese Nationalist capital, in April 1949 and, on receiving news of Amethyst’s plight on 20 April, quickly set off down the Yangtze. On reaching Amethyst in the early afternoon, Consort made three unsuccessful attempts to lend assistance, including an aborted tow, and sustained considerable damage and 30 casualties in the process, thereby necessitating her onward journey to the open sea - in fact eight of her crew were killed in action and another died of wounds. Robertson was awarded the D.S.O.; two of his crew the D.S.M.; and another four were Mentioned in Despatches.