CAPTAIN FRYATT - THE FORGOTTEN MARTYR

There are some roses that you would be happy to drive miles if it meant that you could have it in your garden. For me it is the Colin Dickson rose, Captain Fryatt. Hence the reason my personal challenge for 2023 is to become competent in budding roses and then, hopefully, I will be able to get permission to take a cutting of it, so I will be able to add it to my collection of Colin Dickson roses.

The rose, which Colin Dickson bred by crossing Gareth Fryer's Atlantic Star with his own Little Miss Sunshine, has vermillion flowers and was named in 2016 by the Ramsey and Parkston Parish Council to honour the 100th anniversary of the death of the British Mariner, Captain Fryatt, who was executed by the Germans in 1916.

Algernon Fryatt was born in Southampton on December 2nd, 1872, though the family later moved to Harwich in Essex. On leaving school he joined the merchant navy, following in his father's footsteps. Algernon was to move through the ranks quite quickly and in 1915 became the Master of the S.S. Brussels, which was a G.E.R. ship that ran between Harwich and Rotterdam.

On March 28th, 1915, the same day that a German U-boat had sank the R.M.S. Falebo, the S.S. Brussels was approached and ordered to stop. Rather than give up his ship, Captain Fryatt attempted to ram the U-boat forcing it to dive. He then hasten to port and was awarded a gold medal by the Admiralty for his bravery. A year later on leaving Dutch waters, his ship was captured by four German destroyers and he was arrested. He was then changed with trying to sink a German submarine. Having been found quilty he was executed on July 17th, 1917 with his body originally be laid to rest in a cemetery near Bruges. When news broke of his execution a large crowd gathered in Trafalgar Square to protest against the actions by the Germans, as well as questions being raised in Parliament. As a result a special fund was setup in aid of his widow.

Subsequently his body was exhumed and he was reburied with full honours following a funeral service in St Paul's Cathedral on July 8th, 1919. His final place of rest being at All Saints Church, Upper Dovercourt in Essex.

There is a memorial in Liverpool Station to him.