Harwich Society to fly flags at half-mast on Fryatt Day

Saturday, July 27, will be the 108th anniversary of the execution of Captain Fryatt, the master of the passenger ferry 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 Captain Fryatt was court-martialled and executed by firing squad in breach of international law and in spite of being a civilian.

Harwich Town Council has declared July 27 to be ‘Fryatt Day’ each year in his memory and is urging any local buildings flying a flag to lower it to half-mast on that date.

All flags flown at Harwich Society visitor attractions will also fly at half-mast.

Family - Members of the Fryatt family around his grave memorial (Image: Maria Fowler)

Harwich Society chairman Colin Farnell said: “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.

“Captain Fryatt was a national hero and it is important that his memory is commemorated.

“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.”

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. 

Capt Fryatt’s body was returned to England in July 1919, when he was taken by gun carriage to St Paul’s Cathedral for a memorial service, attended by members of the Royal Family.

A special train from London Liverpool Street brought his body home to rest in Dovercourt.

In 2019, the Harwich Hospital was renamed in his honour as the Fryatt Memorial Hospital.