Transcribe

Charles Algernon Fryatt | Master of the Great Eastern Steamship S.S. Brussels | illegally executed by the Germans at Bruges

The interview was conducted by Age Exchange in partnership with The University of Essex and The First World War Centre –University of Hertfordshire –as part of the Children of The Great War project. Charles Fryatt was a merchant seaman for the Great Eastern Railway based at Harwich. On 3 March 1915 Captain Fryatt’s ship SS Wrexham was attacked by a German U-Boat, which he outran to arrive at Rotterdam; for this he was presented with a gold watch by Great Eastern Railway. Following a second unsuccessful attack on SS Colchester, Charles Fryatt was captain of SS Brussels when, on 28 March, he was ordered to stop by U-33. He refused and tried to ram the U-Boat forcing it to crash dive; for this action he was awarded a gold watch by the Admiralty, and praised in Parliament. He then became a target for the German Navy... On 25 June 1916 five German destroyers surrounded the SS Brussels. Fryatt and his crew were taken to an internment camp and interrogated. He was tried at a Court Martial at Bruges Town Hall and was found guilty of franc-tireur – a civilian engaged in hostile military activity. Charles Fryatt was executed by firing squad on 27 July 1916. King George V expressed his indignation and abhorrence in a letter to Mrs Fryatt, the British Prime Minister condemned the action, and there was an international outcry. Soldiers chalked his name on artillery shells, post cards, songs, films and stamps popularised these feelings. After the war Fryatt’s body was exhumed and brought back to England in the same train carriage used for Edith Cavell, and later to be used for the Unknown Soldier. His funeral was held at St Paul’s Cathedral, then his body was buried at All Saints’ Church, Upper Dovercourt, Essex, where there is now the Captain Fryatt Memorial Hospital. Great Eastern Railway unveiled a memorial tablet at Liverpool Street station in 1917. In the interview Louise continues with the story of his widow, and her concern that the name Fryatt would attract retaliation. A joint project between Age Exchange, the University of Essex and the Everyday Lives in War FWW Engagement Centre, University of Herts. For further information, please contact Everyday Lives in War, https://everydaylivesinwar.herts.ac.uk/

Military Punishment
Drawing
Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Commemorative portrait of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
English
Français
A commemorative portrait detailing the capture and killing of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt (1872-1916), which was considered to be unlawful. The text reads both in English and French.
Another commemorative portrait of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Memorabilia
Other
Commemoration of the life of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Quote from Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith regarding Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Newspaper cutting regarding Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Portrait of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt
Photograph

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CONTRIBUTOR

Louise Gill

DATE

1915-03-03

LANGUAGE

eng

ITEMS

6

INSTITUTION

Europeana 1914-1918

PROGRESS

START DATE
TRANSCRIBERS
CHARACTERS
LOCATIONS
ENRICHMENTS

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METADATA

Source

UGC

Contributor

europeana19141918:agent/5f6e4ed0f860f0e3f0835c544859aa4a

Date

1915-03-03

Type

Story

Language

eng
English

Country

Europe

DataProvider

Europeana 1914-1918

Provider

Europeana 1914-1918

DatasetName

2020601_Ag_ErsterWeltkrieg_EU

End

1915-03-03

Language

mul

Agent

Louise Gill | europeana19141918:agent/5f6e4ed0f860f0e3f0835c544859aa4a
Charles Algernon Fryatt (Captain) | europeana19141918:agent/76fa24d6839fafdef57f3df5b3c5d77a

Created

2019-09-11T08:14:35.125Z
2020-02-25T08:11:48.219Z
2015-08-25 11:22:03 UTC
2015-08-25 11:28:23 UTC
2015-08-25 11:34:20 UTC
2015-08-25 11:42:56 UTC
2015-08-25 11:47:29 UTC
2015-08-25 11:50:43 UTC
2015-08-25 11:52:06 UTC

Provenance

COTGW

Record ID

/2020601/https___1914_1918_europeana_eu_contributions_20093

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