AN unsung Titanic hero who risked his life to save others has finally been given the recognition he deserves.

For almost half a century Walter John Perkis has lain in an unmarked grave in a Southampton cemetery, along with his wife Phoebe and son Robert.

The grave was discovered as a result of the efforts of Rob Daniel, who lives in the Midlands, and decided to trace his family history.

Research revealed that Walter was Rob's great-grandfather's cousin on his mother's side of the family.

Walter, who was born in 1874, served on the Titanic and was responsible for manning lifeboat four, which was used for evacuating first-class passengers when the ship began to sink.

But apart from getting people off the liner, Walter was also the only person who went back to collect survivors from the ice-cold waters. On Sunday, Walter's relatives gathered at Bitterne Parish Church, where a special headstone was placed on the grave of the hero no one knew about.

Rob's sister, Marion Daniel, of Romsey, said: "For years Walter has lain in an unmarked grave as a totally unsung hero. We felt it was rather sad that he appeared to have died alone, with no one knowing that he had been on the Titanic and had rescued eight people from the water."

Walter's story is to be highlighted in a documentary called Find Your Family on Meridian on Thursday, starting at 7.30pm. Meanwhile, Marion would like to hear from anyone who may have known Walter. She can be contacted on 01794 522511.