Many soldiers serving abroad also caught the flu. These are just a few reports that I found within the local newspapers:-
Lance Corporal Thomas Cook died at 24th Casualty Clearing Station, Italy on 21 October 1918. He was deeply mourned by his family.
Gunner J. W. Lazenby of Royal Field Artillery who died from influenza on 25 October 1918 at Wimering Hospital, France. He was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs Lazenby. He had been on active service for 3 and a half years and was their second son who had died in service of their country.
Then there was Private John William Douglas who died on 27 October 1918 in India. The beloved son of Joseph & Ruth of Humshaugh Hill, Chollerford. As well as the death of Major Harold Widdrington Sykes of Royal Army Medical Corps, son of Reverend & Mrs Skyes of Meldon Rectory, who died of flu at Beira, East Africa.
There are so many sad stories out there and you can’t possibly write them all up. Some that caught my attention are the following:-
On the 26 July 1918 the Newcastle papers printed the story of the sad death of Alfred Alder. Under the title “Calling up tragedy”.
Influenza and worry of being called up was enough for Alfred Alder aged 49. An aeroplane works labourer of 59 Ogle Street, Newcastle was found dead in bed, partially dressed with a jar of prussic acid by his side. The deceased had recently had influenza and on Friday last received his call up papers and since then has worried about the future of his children and had been drinking heavily.
The Morpeth Herald reported the sad death of a Shankhouse Colliery woman. The body of a dead woman named Elizabeth Sprague, aged 65, was found floating in the pond at Low Horton Farm, Cramlington. Elizabeth’s neighbours state that she was recovering from the influenza and had been suffering at the same time with depression as she was not allowed to travel to America to see her son.
There was a story in the Morpeth Herald on 28 February 1919 about the ravages of the influenza in North Seaton. Mr Robert Latty had lost 4 members of his family to influenza and pneumonia in the last 5 days.
The only mention of a nurse dying in the region I found was Nurse Carrick; I would assume there were many others, just like today. The Newcastle Journal reported on 25 November 1918, that Nurse Carrick of the Hexham Union Workhouse had died on the Saturday night from influenza followed by pneumonia. She had only started the job a few weeks ago as she previously had been employed in Haltwhistle.
A convicted man died in prison. The influenza was prevalent in Newcastle Gaol; the first fatal case was Thomas Smoult aged 24. He had been imprisoned for 6 weeks for his part in a safe robbery at New Bridge Post Office. He was taken to hospital on 9 July 1918 when his breathing became weak. He died the same day
The Medical Officer for Health for Longbenton, Dr Burn, contributed to the Morpeth Herald on 29 November 1918. He reported that there had been five deaths from influenza in the month and all were inmates at the Convent in Gosforth. Despite instructions, the Doctor said that most people failed to recognise the importance of free ventilation and avoidance of the breath of the patient.
As a precaution, the Military authorities at the Tyne Garrison ordered the troops not to visit cinemas, halls, theatres or similar places of resort. This order also applied to soldiers at the coastal defences at Blyth and Hartlepool. The orders were relaxed for sporting activities, though: on 2 December 1918 a Hockey match was played between Wallsend and the 3rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Due to the virus the home side could not muster enough players so they asked Miss Burton [Whickham] to join the team.
