Memorial for a War Hero

Captain Charles Fryatt

During World War I, passenger ferries continued to operate between Britain and mainland Europe. One captain, Charles Fryatt, piloted a service on the permitted route between Harwich and Holland. He faced multiple attacks by a German U-Boat before taking decisive action, attempting to ram the U-Boat, an act of defiance that ultimately led to his arrest by German forces. Captured and court-martialed in Bruges, Fryatt was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad. His remains were initially interred in Bruges, marked by a simple wooden cross.

Following the end of the war, Captain Fryatt's body was repatriated to England and buried with honors at All Saints Church Cemetery in Dovercourt. There, a prominent stone memorial was erected to commemorate his courageous actions and wrongful execution. The wooden cross that had marked his grave was stored and forgotten after his repatriation.

Recently, the church has proposed a plan to honor Fryatt's legacy by incorporating the original cross within its interior. This will include framing the cross and establishing a small reflection area alongside an interpretation panel that educates visitors about the Captain's heroic deeds from over a century ago. Inkpen Downie is both excited and honored to have the opportunity to design these proposals and realise them within the historic walls of All Saints Church, Dovercourt.