Mystery of Second World War torpedo victim’s watch solved

Twofamilieswhoselovedones were on board the first British ship to be sunk by Germany in the Second World War have been brought together thanks to an exhibition marking the anniversary.

The families were united after an appeal to find the descendants of the cook on board the TSS Athenia, which sank on 3 September, 1939.

Cook Sidney Worall was badly burned when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat on the day war was declared.

Believing he was going to die, he gave his treasured watch to Canadian rescuer Gerald 0 The watch belonged to the torpedoed ship’s cook Hutchinson, who kept hold of it for 66 years. Mr Hutchinson, who became a church minister, always treasured the watch. Hediedin2015andhissonrob decided to donate it to Glasgow’s Riverside Museum.

But after investigating its history, Glasgow Museums’ curator Emily Malcolm discovered that Mr Worall survived and launched an appeal to find his family.

Museum staff were delighted when they reunited the watch with Mr Worall’s granddaughter Cath Muir and nephew Dr Ernie Worrall after almost 80 years.

Mr Hutchinson said: “I am thrilled to meet Sid’s family and see the watch on display. I know my father would have been so pleased.”