ONE hundred years ago, the German and British fleets clashed in the North Sea in a battle that killed more than 6,000 British sailors and changed the direction of the First World War. And yet the Battle of Jutland has been largely forgotten, lost amid the more infamous images of the trenches of the Western Front.

A century on, a series of events across Scotland aims to change that by commemorating the battle and the people who took part, including a young man from Edinburgh who played a central role in the battle when he fired the first successful torpedo of the battle and sunk a German gun boat.

The national commemorations, which have been launched in South Queensferry, will include events along the Firth of Forth, from where the British fleet sailed, including a service at the town’s War Graves Commission’s cemetery where 40 casualties from the battle are commemorated or buried. There will also be a ceremony in Orkney, where the British fleet was based for much of the war.

One of the aims of the commemorations, which will run right up to the anniversary itself on May 31, is to highlight the stories of the ordinary sailors who took part – sailors such as Henry Epworth from Edinburgh, who was 15 when he joined up but ended up at the heart of the action as a torpedo officer on the British gunship HMS Petard.

Speaking to The Herald, his grandson John Watkinson said Henry Epworth’s role in destroying the German torpedo boat V29 and ripping a hole in the hull of the battleship Seydlitz was confirmed by the history books.

“There weren’t that many torpedoes fired and of the ones that were fired, only two hit a target so I don’t doubt it,” said Mr Watkinson. “He never mentioned how it felt to me – he was a fairly stern figure and would probably never acknowledge having any emotions. But after the battle, he received the Distinguished Service Cross from the King and that was a serious honour which he was extremely proud of.”

Mr Watkinson, who is 73 and lives in Canada, said his grandfather had run away to sea at 15, started as a ship’s boy and risen up through the ranks and ended up on HMS Petard, with no idea that he was heading into the biggest sea battle of the First World War.

“It’s quite clear the men didn’t know what they were getting into – the people at the top, such as the Admiral of the Fleet Jellicoe, did,” said Mr Watkinson. “They knew that the German fleet was at sea, which was very unusual, but the sailors didn’t have a clue. They thought it was just another exercise.”

As the fleets clashed, HMS Petard and 11 other British destroyers launched a torpedo attack and Epworth, who was 25 at the time, fired his successful shot. But, as the battle raged on, Petard was fired on by the German destroyer Westfalen and nine people were killed and the same number injured, including Epworth who was hit in the shoulder by shell fragments.

One hundred years later, Mr Watkinson says he feels a great sense of pride in his ancestor. He also believes the Battle of Jutland was a success.

“It was extremely important because it persuaded the Kaiser to keep his major ships in harbour for most of the rest of the war,” he said. “If the Germans had dominated and sunk many more of our ships, they would have had the upper hand. So in that sense, the battle was a success even though the price was horrendous.”

Epworth’s story will now be told in an exhibition at South Queensferry Museum, but there will also be events about the battle across the country, starting with a ceremony at Rosyth attended by the Princess Royal on May 28th. The service at the South Queensferry war graves will also be the same day and will feature a rendition of Flowers of the Forest by the singer Barbara Dickson.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Donald Wilson said the Battle of Jutland had left a tragic legacy along the Firth of Forth and the anniversary would be a time for reconciliation and remembrance.

“It is so important to bring citizens together to remember our shared past,” he said. “It is touching that our events will be attended by school children from Germany as well as Scotland who wish to pay their respects.”