A veteran of one of the most famous naval incidents of the 20th Century has died at the age of 84.

Ron Morris, of Clapham, near Worthing, joined the Royal Navy in 1933 and took part in the Yangtse Incident, which was later turned into a film.

During the early part of the war he was assigned to a sloop on convoy escort duty, having missed being drafted on the ill-fated HMS Hood by just two places.

At one time the ship he was on was almost cut in half by a Free French Destroyer off Africa, resulting in several months in Gibraltar for repairs.

After the Second World War Ron joined the new destroyer HMS Consort and in 1949 was posted to the Far East.

At that time the communist forces of Mao Tse Tung were in the final stages of their victorious civil war against the nationalist forces of Chiang Kwai Chek.

The Navy kept a guard ship on station at Nanking to protect western interests and in April that vessel was HMS Consort.

The frigate HMS Amethyst arrived at the Yangtse River to relieve Consort, and Consort set off down river but came under very heavy shell and small arms fire.

Amethyst was also fired upon and ran aground in a very dangerous position. Consort arrived on the scene at an incredible 29 knots (about 32mph) with all guns blazing and flying no less than seven White Ensigns and three Union flags.

Jerry Fox, who has compiled an obituary on Ron for the Clapham and Patching parish magazine, said: "I believe that Ron was a gun captain at this time.

"Consort attempted to tow Amethyst off the mud bank but was unable to do so due to intense sniper fire and made good her escape having received 56 hits from the field and anti-tank guns.

"Consort had nine fatalities and 30 wounded, Ron being one of the injured, having been hit in the arm by shrapnel.

"Having landed many of her crew, Amethyst refloated herself and proceeded up river to Nanking, from where she eventually made her renowned escape."

Following his naval service Ron worked until retirement for the Inland Revenue and did voluntary work at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Arundel.

He also delivered the parish magazine in Clapham.