Saturday 27th July will be the 108th anniversary of the execution of Captain Fryatt in 1916 and the flags flown at Harwich Society visitor attractions will all fly at half mast in commemoration.
Captain Fryatt was the master of the SS Brussels which escaped from a German U boat in 1915 by attempting to ram it. Captain Fryatt and his crew were later taken prisoner by German forces and, in breach of international law and in spite of being a civilian, Captain Fryatt was court martialled and executed by firing squad.
In conjunction with the Harwich Society, Harwich Town Council has declared July 27th each year to be ‘Fryatt Day’ in his memory and it is requested that any local building flying a flag flies it at half mast on that date.
Chairman of the Harwich Society, Colin Farnell, says, “The memory of Captain Fryatt remains very important to the people of Harwich and I know that the fact that we recognise the day locally means a lot to the Fryatt family.”
At the end of World War I there were only three sets of remains repatriated to the UK. These were the Unknown Soldier who lies in Westminster Abbey, nurse Edith Cavell who lies in Norwich Cathedral and Captain Charles Fryatt who lies in All Saints churchyard in Dovercourt. Captain Fryatt was afforded a state funeral in Saint Paul’s Cathedral and Harwich’s hospital bears his name.
“Captain Fryatt was a national hero and it is important that his memory is commemorated,” continued Colin Farnell. “The Harwich Society and Harwich Town Council fly all flags at half mast on this day and we ask that any buildings flying flags join us in this small act of remembrance.”
For further information please contact
Press Officer, Garry Calver on 01255 551940
Image Q 66269 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 5205-12) Public Domain.