Medal; as of 2020, Simon is the only cat to win the award. He was also awarded a Blue Cross medal, the Amethyst campaign medal, and the fanciful rank of 'Able seacat' ( Able seaman) after disposing of a particularly vicious rat known as "Mao Tse-tung" ( Mao Zedong). Thousands of letters were written to him, so many that one Lt. Stewart Hett was appointed "cat officer" to deal with Simon's post. At every port Amethyst stopped at on its route home, Simon was presented with honour, and a special welcome was made for him at Plymouth in November when the ship returned. Simon was, however, like all animals entering the UK, subject to quarantine regulations, and was immediately sent to an animal centre in Surrey. Death Whilst in quarantine, Simon contracted a virus and, despite the attentions of medical staff and thousands of well-wishers, died on 28 November 1949 from a complication of the viral infection caused by his war wounds. Hundreds, including the entire crew of HMS Amethyst, attended his funeral at the PDSA Ilford Animal Cemetery in east London. His gravestone reads: Decorations and honours Medals The following citation accompanied the Amethyst campaign ribbon: [For] distinguished and meritorious service… single-handedly and unarmed stalk down and destroy 'Mao Tse-tung' a rat guilty of raiding food supplies which were critically short. Be it further known that from April 22 to August 4, you did rid HMS Amethyst of pestilence and vermin, with unrelenting faithfulness. Honours Simon is also commemorated with a bush planted in his honour in the Yangtze Incident Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. In 1950, the writer Paul Gallico dedicated his novel Jennie to Simon. See also List of individual cats Military animal References External links — Simon's Dicken Medal recipient booklet The Friends of the Four Ships — Forum for veterans of HMS Amethyst, Consort, London and Black Swan Animal VCs at The Independent Cats in the 20th Century (Cats in War-Simon) at The Great Cat Able Seacat Simon Pages on MaritimeQuest 1947 animal births 1949 animal deaths Individual cats Military animals Recipients of the Dickin Medal Royal Navy personnel