Remembered: Simon the rat-catching hero navy cat

Simon returned to port in Plymouth to a hero's welcome in 1949

To this day, Simon is the only cat in history to have received the esteemed Dickin Medal.

The animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, the honour was founded 80 years ago, with formidable feline Simon posthumously awarded it six years later.

Simon joined the crew of Plymouth's HMS Amethyst when it was in Hong Kong in 1948 during the Chinese Civil War.

Despite suffering serious injuries during shelling, the courageous cat returned to his Royal Navy post, protecting vital supplies from rats, "saving the crew" and raising morale, said the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

Simon defied serious injury to deter rats and safe vital food supplies

It was during the Yangtze Incident in 1949, that a shell blast killed and wounded a number of crew members, said Nina Downing, PDSA veterinary nurse.

HMS Amethyst had been ordered up the Yangtze River to act as a guardship for the British Embassy in Nanjing and came under fire from Communist artillery.

In attempting to avoid the shelling it ran aground.

Sustaining serious injury himself, Simon managed to rally enough to return to duty.

Among his subsequent daring exploits, he pounced upon an "extremely ferocious rat" which threatened the very survival of his human shipmates, Ms Downing said.

She added: "Simon was really badly injured but despite that he kept on top of the vermin and protected the really important food supplies for 10 weeks for that crew, who were stranded.

"And in turn, he basically saved their lives."

Simon was buried at the PDSA graveyard in Essex

Describing Simon as their "true saviour", the crew bestowed upon him the title of "able seaman" - a sign of their respect and pride, said the PDSA.

Simon received a hero's welcome when the ship returned to dock in Plymouth on 1 November 1949.

The PDSA, a charity which cares for pets whose owners cannot afford the full cost of their veterinary treatment, said his behaviour throughout his tour of duty had been "of the highest order".

He was buried at the PDSA Animal Cemetery at Illford in Essex.

• Regarded as the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, the Dickin Medal was established by PDSA founder Maria Dickin

• The first honour was awarded in 1943 and since then 75 animals have received the medal

• Among them are 38 dogs, 32 pigeons, four horses - and one cat

Sadie

Sadie the labrador received the Dickin Medal in February 2007 for "outstanding gallantry" while serving in Afghanistan.

Trained by the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in Leicestershire as a specialist Arms and Explosives Dog, Sadie had served in the Balkans and Iraq before her posting to Afghanistan in November 2005.

Sadie and her handler L/Cpl Karen Yardley were able to detect an IED packed with high explosives hidden under sandbags, which would have caused "serious injuries and deaths" had it exploded, said the PDSA.

Sadie was awarded for outstanding gallantry

G.I.Joe

On 18 October 1943, the village of Calvi Vecchia was liberated by Allied Forces, on the same day an air attack had been scheduled to subdue German positions.

The 6th London Infantry's advance, said the PDSA, had been so rapid they were in danger of being caught in "friendly fire".

G.I. Joe, a member of the United States Army Pigeon Service, was released with a message to call off the attack, flying 20 miles in 20 minutes, reaching Allied lines just as the bombers were preparing to take off.

His heroics prevented the "loss of at least 100 Allied soldiers' lives and countless civilians".

G.I. Joe saved the lives of "countless civilians"

Sgt Reckless

Sgt Reckless, a US Marine Corps horse who served during the Korean War, was awarded the Dickin Medal for "bravery and devotion to duty".

Trained as an ammunitions carrier, her life-saving work meant she was promoted to sergeant when, in March 1953, she made 51 trips from ammunition depots to firing sites in just one day, also carrying wounded soldiers down the mountain to safety.

Robin Hutton, who wrote a biography of Sgt Reckless, said: “Her relationship with the soldiers underscores the vital role of animals in war, not just for their prowess and strength in battle, but for the support and camaraderie they provide to their fellow troops.”

Sgt Reckless rescued wounded soldiers from the battlefield