of discovery for descendant of Pollockshields hero By Tim Greenfield A chance unearthing of hidden papers led a British couple on a voyage of discovery to Bermuda.

Sifting through her late aunt's belongings, Jean Hope and her husband, Jim, found documents that would eventually bring her to the Island and reveal an amazing story of heroism and tragedy.

Mrs. Hope knew little about her grandfather, Capt. Earnest Booth, except that he drowned following a shipwreck off Bermuda in September, 1915.

But after a week here, the 68-year-old from Solihull, West Midlands, had heard the whole tale of Capt. Booth's selfless bravery and a daring rescue mission, after his vessel, the Pollockshields , hit the reefs.

"We only actually came to see his grave,'' said Mrs. Hope. "Before we came out, we knew nothing about him except that he had died at sea.

"My aunt Gertrude had never really talked about it and my father, who was also a master mariner, also never mentioned what had happened.'' The couple arrived in Bermuda intending to find Capt. Booth's grave at St.

Anne's Church, Southampton, but a series of chance meetings brought her grandfather's story to life.

An ancient photograph and newspaper clipping found in her aunt Gertrude's belongings, and the subsequent discovery of a death and burial certificate prompted the couple to fly to Bermuda.

The picture, which showed two young children in sailor outfits close to a freshly dug grave, was accompanied by a note expressing sympathy from Lt.

General Sir George Bullock, Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda.

And a few paragraphs in an unknown newspaper told of Capt. Booth's heroism, handing his lifebelt to one of his 34 crew members before being swept to his death.

His body was found two days later at Christian Bay, and buried in St. Anne's.

From the picture, the Hopes were able to find their relative's grave, which is marked by a simple white tablet.

"It was very peaceful there and very beautiful,'' Mrs. Hope said.

On a subsequent visit to the Maritime Museum the couple asked the guide, Tommy Aitchison, whether he knew anything about the Pollockshields , which sunk in a storm whilst bringing munitions from Cardiff to Bermuda.

He pinpointed its location and during an early morning stroll on Elbow Beach, close to the spot where the Pollockshields sank, they bumped into Susan DeCouto, the wife of Ernest DeCouto -- who had dived on the wreck.

Mr. DeCouto told the Hopes of the dramatic rescue mission led by whaler, Antoine Marshall -- whose son Eric they met -- and of the people who carried the lifeboat across the Island to Elbow.

In turn they saw pictures of the ship at the Elbow Beach Resort and learnt even more from Wendy Tucker at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

"To think we came just intending to see the grave, hearing the rest of the story made it so real -- and turned it into a most unusual holiday,'' said Mrs. Hope.

"We knew Earnest was buried in Bermuda and that was it. We didn't know he was a hero.'' Now the Hopes, who stayed at the Harmony Club during their holiday, have a tale to tell their children in Britain, who are all interested to hear about their hero great-grandfather.