As Remembrance Day approaches, it's fitting to look once again at the story of a local hero who for many years was overlooked, but thanks to the unstinting efforts of his present-day supporters gained some belated recognition.

Benjamin George Cobey was born on March 10 1895 at 39 Church Street. Benjamin joined the Royal Artillery after school and became a driver – one of the team of riders that towed the guns into position.

Although remembrance of the Great War always focuses on the trenches and the mud, Cobey's brief war in 1914 was fought in open country, before the trench systems were dug. Casualties were even more horrendous, because the troops had literally nowhere to hide beyond what they could hurriedly scrape with their shovels.

This was even more true of the artillery, conspicuously deployed forward with the infantry instead of firing from the rear, as they later learned to do.

Cobey took part in a bloody battle at Mons on August 22-23. A canal system and a network of villages gave the advantage to the British infantry, whose rapid and accurate rifle fire devastated the advancing Germans. But threatened with larger numbers and being outflanked the famous 'retreat from Mons' was ordered.

Here the artillery came into its own. Hurriedly deploying with a few supporting infantry they would bring down a storm of shrapnel on the heads of the pursuing Germans, giving time for the infantry to retreat.

However, the pressure increased, and on 26 August General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien decided to take a stand at Le Cateau with his one Corps – against four German Corps plus cavalry.

Historians still debate what happened next. A combination of overnight mist and differing command skills resulted in very different deployments of the troops. Two divisions were skilfully positioned, making good use of cover and with a lot of their guns firing from the rear, controlled by signals. However, Cobey's division, the 5th, found itself on a forward slope, in full view of the Germans, and with most their artillery positioned right amongst the troops.

The German guns, positioned almost out of sight, laid down a devastating fire on the 5th Division. Undaunted, the gunners fired rapidly and effectively against advancing German infantry, but losses mounted.

After six hours of heavy fighting, Smith-Dorrien ordered a withdrawal. The forward positioning of the guns made this very tricky for the 5th Division – they had to give covering fire while at the same time trying to extricate themselves from the front line.

Horse teams trotted forward under heavy fire, cheered by the men of the Royal West Kents. Among them were Drivers Cobey, Luke and Drain on a horse-drawn limber, accompanied by Captain Reynolds on his horse.

With German shellfire exploding in their midst and German infantry fire punching holes in the gun shields, this had become almost a suicidal operation.

All around, gun teams were being blown to pieces by shells and shot down by astonished German infantry, who by now almost surrounded the guns. Officers and men frantically attached fresh horses to replace dead and wounded ones. The famous painting by Terence Cuneo, 'Saving the guns at Le Cateau' captures the drama of Cobey's team. Benjamin George Cobey is seen falling from his saddle, shot by rifle fire. Captain Reynold is seen reaching out for Cobey's whip which is falling from his hand.

Drain and Luke continued, and Reynolds galloped alongside, urging the horses on. Astoundingly, they galloped right up to the guns, hooked one on, and took it back through the same storm of fire.

Cobey's body was never found, and it took nine months for his family to be informed of his death. Reynolds, Luke and Drain were all awarded the V.C.

Cobey was not awarded any posthumous medal, and shamefully, his name was not even included on the Maldon War Memorial after the War, probably because he was born out of wedlock. It was only in 2014 that his name was added to the memorial following a campaign by local historian and former mayor Stephen Nunn, who has researched Cobey extensively and supported his family in commemorating him. In 2018 Ben Cobey Avenue near Lime Brook was also named in his honour.

A plaque from the Western Front Association commemorates him in the Maldon Museum in the Park, not far from his birthplace, and you can also see there a reproduction of Cuneo's painting, which for copyright reasons I cannot post here (though a Google search will swiftly locate it!).

The campaign to award Cobey a posthumous V.C. continues.