THE HEAD of a maritime charity has paid tribute to a sailor from Pembrokeshire who fought and died alongside his grandfather in the Second World War.

Stuart Rivers, CEO of the Sailors’ Society, has just uncovered his own personal link to tragedy at sea – with his grandfather’s death at the hands of a German warship 75 years ago.

The Sailors’ Society cares for seafarers when they suffer trauma at sea and offers counselling to bereaved families, but Stuart only realised his own family’s trauma earlier this year, when his cousin in Canada sent him details of the tragedy.

Stuart’s grandfather, William Ross, a fisherman from Aberdeen, was one of 34 men lost when the trawler he was on board, HMS Ullswater, was torpedoed in the English Channel on November 19, 1942. He was 43 years old.

Also lost in the tragedy was George Sheffield, a 21-year-old signalman from Haverfordwest.

Stuart said: “While it is very sad to have never met my grandfather in person, I feel that I am now starting to understand what a great man he – like George Sheffield and the other brave men who died with him – was through his service to King and country.

The Ullswater was sunk near Eddystone Lighthouse by heavily armed German S-boats while defending a convoy of merchant ships.

As the vessel sank, the German boats torpedoed Norwegian steamer SS Lab and British vessels SS Yewforest and SS Birgitte, all of which sank in minutes.

“The families of all those who were lost in this tragedy will have carried this with them for the rest of their lives,” said Stuart.

William Ross is commemorated at the Royal Naval Patrol Service War Memorial at Sparrow's Nest in Lowestoft and George Sheffield is remembered at the Plymouth Naval Memorial.