Frederick Corbett

The Maldon District’s only Victoria Cross recipient forfeited his medal, died in the workhouse and was buried in an unmarked grave – but his bravery is still honoured in the town.

If you visit Maldon Cemetery, among the many war graves you will find one commemorating Private Frederick Corbett VC – the district’s only recipient of the country’s highest medal for honour, awarded only for “most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy”.

Yet this official headstone remembering his bravery was only put up in 2004 - the war hero had died in Maldon Union Workhouse in 1912 and been buried in an unmarked grave after being one of just eight of 1,358 Victoria Cross recipients to have their medal taken away from them.

His strange story began in 1853 when he was born and given the name David Embleton. He joined the British Army in 1873, serving in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, but for some unknown reason registered under the name Frederick Corbett. He initially served in Britain, but in 1879 he went with the Battalion to South Africa where he fought in the First Boer War.

In 1882 he was sent to Egypt, where a revolution was taking place, to protect the Suez Canal. During a reconnaissance mission, a small group of riflemen came under heavy fire from Egyptian forces, and Lieutenant Howard Vyse was seriously wounded. While his companions took cover, Corbett stayed in the open, totally exposed, trying to protect the dying lieutenant and stop his bleeding, before helping to carry him from the battlefield. His bravery was recognised with the presentation of the Victoria Cross in Cairo in March 1883.

History doesn’t record whether he suffered physical injury or, more likely, mental trauma from the incident, but he was discharged from the Army as medically unfit in June 1883. Facing financial ruin, Corbett, who was then believed to be struggling with alcohol, sold his medals a year afterwards and re-enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery. A string of problems followed, and before he was discharged on medical grounds again in 1891, he had been court-marshalled for going absent without leave, theft and striking an officer, which resulted in his name being removed from the VC register and his VC pension being cancelled. He ended his days in the workhouse, dying in 1912 aged 59.

When George V came to the throne, he declared that no longer would anyone forfeit a Victoria Cross, no matter what they did in later life, stating in 1920: “Even were a VC to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear the Cross on the scaffold." In 2004 a military ceremony at the cemetery in London Road, Maldon, unveiled the headstone recognising Frederick Corbett's bravery and a bugler from the Royal Green Jackets sounded the Last Post.

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Maldon Cemetery & Commonwealth War Graves

Maldon Cemetery dates back to 1855 and the older parts of the cemetery are both havens for wildlife and fascinating places to visit. The cemetery is home to 21 Commonwealth War Graves.
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The Blue Boar

One of the architectural gems of Maldon, part of this quaint pub and hotel date back to the 14th century. The oldest part of the complex is the timber framed range immediately to the left as you pass through the coaching archway from Silver Street, this dates back to the second half of the 14th century. In the 1750’s the Blue Boar was a stopping off point for the Maldon Stage ‘fly’ a coach which ran between Southminster and Aldgate, London and by the turn of the century was one of the principal coaching inns in the town. Today, the inn has gained further reputation as an ale house with usually 5 fresh ales on tap brewed on site at the Stable Brewery
Former Maldon Union Workhouse

Today, St Peter's Hospital in Spital Road is a valuable NHS centre, but the grand buildings have an interesting history. Built in 1872 to replace the smaller workhouse on Market Hill, the new Union Workhouse could hold up to 450 inmates and had its own chapel, mortuary and kitchen.

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Maldon Baptist

Address

Butt Lane, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5HD

Telephone
07768 086248

Maldon

We are a friendly bunch of people who take seriously our responsibility to seek first the Kingdom of God.
St Cuthberts RC Church

Address

40 Chapel Rd, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8JA

Telephone
01621 852259

maldon@brcdt.org

Burnham-on-Crouch

Burnham's Roman Catholic church of St Cuthbert was built in 1911 in the Early English style in red brick, comprised a small, aisle-less nave and chancel.
World War Two Avenue of Remembrance

Address

Promenade Park, Park Drive, Maldon, CM9 5JQ

Maldon

The World War Two Avenue of Remembrance at Promenade Park, beginning close to the boating lake, consists of 86 Horse Chestnut trees that were planted in 1987 to commemorate local people who died serving their country during World War Two.
St James Church, Dengie

Address

Keelings Road, Dengie, Essex, CM0 7UH

Telephone
01621 779620

Dengie

St James, Dengie is a small parish church serving the rural villages of Asheldham and Dengie. The Grade II listed church building dates back to the 14th century, but the Nave walls may be even earlier from Saxon times, and remains of Roman bricks…
Holy Trinity Church

Address

Church Road, North Fambridge, CM3 6LU

Telephone
01621 742947

North Fambridge

This 200 year old church is the only place of worship in North Fambridge.
All Saints' Church, Gt Braxted

Address

Church Chase, Great Braxted, Essex, CM8 3EW

Telephone
01621 819557

thurstableteamadmin@btinternet.com

Great Braxted

The medieval church features a Nave and Chancel from the 12th century and is situated within the 2,000-acre Braxted Park estate. The churchyard is home to the Commonwealth War Grave of Brigadier General Hubert John Du Cane.
Monastery of St John the Baptist

Address

The Old Rectory, Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights, CM9 8EZ

Tolleshunt Knights

The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist is an Orthodox monastic community composed of nuns and monks of various nationalities. The monastery was founded by Sophrony Sakharov, later canonised as Saint Sophrony. The calm…
St Andrew's Church, Althorne

Address

Fambridge Road, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6BY

lucientaylor@yahoo.co.uk

Althorne

St Andrew's is a Grade II listed building with a tower dating back to around 1500, although it is in need of restoration and funds are being raised. It has a modern church hall available for hire.
St Barnabas Church

Address

Mayland Hill, Mayland, Essex, CM3 6DZ

Telephone
01621 742596

sallyannwood@hotmail.com

Mayland

St Barnabas Church is located a short drive away from the residential area of the village with spectacular views of the neighbouring farms and fields. The church is nestled in a well kept churchyard with six Commonwealth War Graves, and many…
Bradwell-on-sea Shell Bank Nature Reserve and Mulberry Harbour remains

Address

East End Road, Bradwell-on-Sea, CM0 7PN

Bradwell-on-Sea

The Cockle Spit is a massive and ever-moving bank made from cockle and oyster shells. It's managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust and is visited by a huge number of wading birds. From here you can see concrete barges from the Second World War, used in…
Beeleigh Falls

Address

Beeleigh Falls, Maldon Road, Beeleigh, Essex, CM9 6QA

essex@waterways.org.uk

Beeleigh

Beeleigh Falls is home to a series of water falls, locks and weirs on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.
Tolleshunt D'Arcy Maypole

Address

Opposite 17 North Street, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, CM9 8TF

Tolleshunt D'Arcy

In the middle of the road junction in Tolleshunt D'Arcy stands the village maypole, one of the few remaining original maypoles to be found. The bottom has been protected by a wooden cage.
St Andrew's Church

Address

The Street, Heybridge, Essex, CM9 4NB

Telephone
01621 857004

Heybridge

A Grade I Listed building, this 12th century church was restored during the 15th century to its present condition. Seating for 200 including choir, with wheel chair access and hearing aid loop system.
St Mary & St Margarets Church & Commonwealth War Graves

Address

Church Lane, Stow Maries, Essex, CM3 6SL

Stow Maries

The parish church of St Mary and St Margaret is Grade II* Listed. The church chancel was built in the 14th century and the nave in the 15th century. The churchyard has five Commonwealth War Graves.
Home of Myra Sadd Brown / Old Convent

Address

West Chase, Maldon, CM9 6HN

Maldon

This Grade II Listed private home (not open to the public) was built in 1880 as a mansion for John Granger Sadd of the famous Maldon Sadd family. His daughter, suffragette and women's rights activist Myra Sadd Brown lived there and is commemorated…
Othona Community

Address

East Hall Farm, East End Road, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, CM0 7PN

Telephone
01621 776564

bradwell@othona.org

Bradwell-on-Sea

Othona is an open and inclusive Community rooted in the Christian tradition and drawing on a wealth of other inspirations.
All Saints' Church, Tolleshunt Knights

Address

Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights, CM9 8HF

Tolleshunt Knights

This 12th century Grade II* Listed church is now owned by the nearby Orthodox Monastery of St John the Baptist. The churchyard has two Commonwealth War Graves.
St Mary the Virgin

Address

Church Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8QB

Telephone
01621 786066

stmaryschurchburnham@outlook.com

Burnham-on-Crouch

Affectionately known as St Mary's, there has been a church on this site since 1155, possibly even earlier, and as such the fabric of the building reflects a long and eventful history.
World War II Minefield Observation Tower and Pillbox

Address

Seawall, 900m south-east of Holliwell Farm, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8NG

Burnham-on-Crouch

An unusual piece of wartime history can be found on the seawall heading out of Burnham-on-Crouch towards Bradwell-on-Sea. Around 4 miles from Burnham you will come to a unique hexagonal, two-storey control/observation tower and an accompanying…
Southminster Congregational Church Cemetery and Commonwealth War Graves

Address

Access between 2 and 4 North End, Southminster, CM0 7DN

Southminster

The cemetery includes two Commonwealth War Graves. Private E Chinnery of the Middlesex Regiment and W Witney, a driver with the Royal Army Service Corps both have memorials there.

The Maldon District’s only Victoria Cross recipient forfeited his medal, died in the workhouse and was buried in an unmarked grave – but his bravery is still honoured in the town.

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