10 Incredible Animal War Heroes
9. Simon The Cat
Simon was a ship's cat on the Royal Navy frigate HMS Amethyst during the Chinese Civil War. He was picked up in Hong Kong and brought aboard to fight a rat infestation.
In April 1949, the Amethyst was shelled while sailing up the Yangtze river leading to the deaths of 17 crew members. Simon sustained serious injuries, getting one side of his face burned off and four pieces of shrapnel lodged in his legs and chest. He survived and gamely fought the rat infestation during the 101 days when the ship was detained.
Press coverage of the incident turned Simon into a hero and he was awarded a Dickin Medal, the highest honour for animal bravery. He remains the only cat to ever win that award.