A WAR hero was remembered and honoured in a series of special events to mark the centenary of his body returning to the UK.

Captain Fryatt’s body was repatriated in July 1919 after he was executed in the First World War for attempting to ram a German U-boat.

The civilian captain from Harwich had avoided capture while sailing on two occasions and to save his ship and those on board attempted to ram a U-boat and forced it to crash dive.

He was later captured and killed and his body later returned to the country for a state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral in London before being brought back to Harwich where people lined the streets as he was taken to his final resting place at All Saints Church in Main Road, Dovercourt.

On Monday, a civic service was held at the church to mark the anniversary.

Family descendants and dignitaries as well as Scouts and members of the public joined the service, which included several readings, before walking in a procession to Captain Fryatt’s grave where wreaths were laid and the bell from his ship the SS Brussels was rung.

Harwich councillor Garry Calver, who oversaw a restoration of the grave memorial last year, said: “It went brilliantly.

“The church was packed and everybody went to the grave afterwards.

“There were people there just because they wanted to be a part of it.

“It really was a very special event.”

After the graveside tributes, a family room in the church was officially renamed the Fryatt Room to honour the war hero.

In the afternoon Harwich Hospital was officially named after Captain Fryatt more than a decade after it was built.

Despite being referred to locally as the Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre, the building was never officially named.

Lesley Chambers, whose grandfather, George Annis Calver, was a crew member with Captain Fryatt and was also captured but survived, organised the event.

She said: “It went really really well.

“The guests spoke well and it was 100 years practically down to the hour when his body was on its way to All Saints Church.

“It was emotional for me, but it was a lovely event and it couldn’t have been better.”