A TRIBUTE has been paid to a Maldon war veteran following a struggle to get his memory honoured.

Maldon MP, John Whittingdale, placed a tribute in Parliament in memory of Driver Ben Cobey.

Mr Cobey was a member of the gun crew killed at the Battle of Mons in August 1914.

Whilst each of his three colleagues each received the Victoria Cross, he was, for a long time, not recognised.

Missing out on this caused a lot of controversy for the Maldon-born soldier.

Mr Cobey’s mother Maria Anne Cobey, was unmarried when she gave birth to him, with no named father.

He was excluded from St Mary the Virgin church war memorial because of his parents not being married for his birth.

His actions were eventually officially commemorated, with the naming of Ben Cobey Avenue in Maldon in 2018.

It was in the Speakers Constituency Garden of Remembrance where the Maldon MP placed his tribute.

Poppy tributes filled the main entrance to Parliament, with the Speaker of the House of Commons opening the first ever ‘Constituency Garden of Remembrance’ ceremony.

The garden paid tribute to more than 700 people, each bearing a specific handwritten message of thanks.

Mr Whittingdale expressed his delight to pay tributes to someone whose actions have previously gone unrecognised.

He said: “I am very pleased to pay this tribute to Ben Cobey whose bravery is at last now being recognised as well as all those who from the Maldon Constituency who have given their lives in two World Wars and since.

I am grateful to the Speaker for creating the Garden and look forward to participating in the ceremonies this Remembrance Sunday both in Maldon and at Stow Maries Aerodrome.”