Suspicious amount of deaths

[joee86]

Hello,

I have recently been looking at the war memorial in my grandmothers hometown of Blandford, Dorset. Looking at the CWGC web site I have noticed something strange. In 1918, there were many deaths of men from the RAF recruits wing. Furthermore, most of the men seem to be Private 2nd Class (which I thought was an american rank)? They are all of the same unit and all buried in Blandford cemetery.

Is this just a coincidence or was there a major incident? There deaths arent on the same day but quite close? I have listed them below:

1 ALMOND, CHARLES, C Private 2nd Class 295395Royal Air Force12/10/1918 Unknown 1163. 2 ANDREWS , T Private 2nd Class 307600Royal Air Force26/10/1918 Unknown 1335. 3 BANKS, ALFRED, A Private 2nd Class 267317Royal Air Force20/07/1918 42 1331.5 BRADY , J Private 2nd Class 303133Royal Air Force10/11/1918 Unknown 75.12 CAMPBELL, GEORGE, G Private 2nd Class 296339Royal Air Force03/10/1918 Unknown 1246.17 CLEMENTS, DANIEL, D Private 2nd Class 308954Royal Air Force09/11/1918 Unknown 76.20 CORNISH, GEORGE H., G H Air Mechanic 3rd Class 298712Royal Air Force18/11/1918 19 80.21 COX, WILLIAM HENRY, W H Serjeant 46039Royal Air Force05/11/1918 32 1352.2 GREEN, JAMES, J Private 2nd Class 309493Royal Air Force30/10/1918 Unknown 1337. 3 GRUNDY, PERCY BERTRAM, P B Clerk 3rd Class 306558Royal Air Force27/10/1918 Unknown 1336.5 HEALY, HARRY, H Air Mechanic 2nd Class 21364Royal Air Force26/02/1919 Unknown 82. 6 HIGGINS, MICHAEL, M Private 2nd Class 309065Royal Air Force30/10/1918 Unknown 1338. 7 HILL, WILLIAM, W Air Mechanic 3rd Class 309952Royal Air Force06/11/1918 19 70.1 KIRKER, JAMES, J Private 2nd Class 308279Royal Air Force19/10/1918 Unknown 1332.3 LENNON, WILLIAM COOK, W C Private 2nd Class 308568Royal Air Force02/11/1918 17 73.1 MANLEY, JOHN, J Private 2nd Class 306352Royal Air Force21/10/1918 Unknown 1334. 2 MARTIN, S G, S G Air Mechanic 3rd Class 299418Royal Air Force25/10/1918 Unknown 1250.5 MITCHINSON, ROBERT, R Air Mechanic 3rd Class 308997Royal Air Force05/11/1918 Unknown 71. 6 MOODY, WILLIAM PATRICK, W P Private 2nd Class 309651Royal Air Force03/11/1918 18 74.8 MORRIS, WALTER FREDERICK, W F Private 2nd Class 279325Royal Air Force01/10/1918 Unknown 1162.2 RANDALL, REGINALD ALBERT, R A Boy 327465Royal Air Force08/03/1919 Unknown 84. 3 ROBERTS, LEONARD LANGFIELD, L L Private 2nd Class 304676Royal Air Force22/10/1918 31 1249. 4 ROBINSON, ROBERT, R Private 2nd Class 195485Royal Air Force28/10/1918 23 1253. 5 ROGERS , J Private 69640Royal Defence Corps27/10/1918 Unknown 1251.2 SKENE, ALLAN, A Boy 261746Royal Air Force11/07/1918 Unknown 1244.4 STUDDEN, EDWARD JOHN, E J Air Mechanic 3rd Class 294435Royal Air Force23/10/1918 40 1247.6 TAYLOR, FREDERICK, F Serjeant Major 302107Royal Air Force17/11/1918 Unknown 79.12 TUMPTON, JOHN, J Private 2nd Class 308920Royal Air Force05/11/1918 18 72.4 WIDDICOMBE, ALBERT EDWARD, A E Private 305280Royal Air Force18/10/1918 17 1248.

[David B]

I wonder of they were victims of the flu epidemic raging around the world around that time.

[joee86]

Maybe, but isnt it rather odd how many have the same rank? I know that Blandford had just been set up as a RAF base in 1918, but it doesnt explain why such a large amount of death. Maybe, an epidemic could be the case. But I do not have access to ancestry at the moment so cannot look at service records. With this large amount of men, I am sure one of their records would have survived.

[IPT]

Mr. ARNOLD WARD (by Private Notice) asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether a serious epidemic of influenza and septic pneumonia broke out at the Royal Air Force Camp at Blandford, Dorsetshire, in the week ending 19th October; whether the epidemic increased in virulence during the week ending 26th October; whether many hundreds of cases occurred last week and many deaths every day, mostly of very young lads; whether the medical arrangements have been utterly inadequate to deal with the epidemic; whether there has been and still is a grave insufficiency of doctors and nurses; whether the sick men are lying on very dirty straw mattresses, and whether there is an utter lack of necessaries and comforts of every 1465 description, and especially a great dearth of utensils, crockery, bedding, and blankets; whether there has been any organisation of local supplies and local assistance; whether the Dorsetshire Red Cross have been called upon to give help; whether all last week, when the epidemic was at its height, hundreds of fresh men and young lads were arriving daily in this infected camp; whether fresh men are still being sent to the camp, and what steps are now being taken to deal with the situation?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE to the AIR MINISTRY (Major Baird)

The prevailing influenza epidemic reached Blandford Camp on 21st September, and has continued to the present date. The number of cases increased in the week ending 26th October, during which 252 cases were reported; of these 198 were sent to hospital. The number of deaths since 21st September is fifty-nine. The average daily strength of the camp is about 15,000. Since the epidemic started five additional doctors and nineteen additional nurses have been sent to deal with the situation. The hospital accommodation has been materially extended, and recourse has been had to semi-official agencies. My information does not bear out the suggestion that sick men are allowed to lie on dirty straw mattresses, and everything possible is being done to provide necessaries and comforts. For administrative reasons, independent of the epidemic, the drafting of recruits to the camp has been stopped for a period of one week.

http://hansard.millb...rial-statements

[joee86]

Thanks for that. Sounds like a horrible situation to be in, even worse are the two boys that are listed, can't imagine how young they were.

[Magnumbellum]

Possibly as young as 15, certainly under 17. Boys not yet 16 were still being recruited by the army as late as 1991. It takes a long time to learn.

[Terry Marker]

Whilst studying the list of RFC & RAF Service Numbers I noted that the block 155001 to 160000, dated Oct 1917 to Dec1918, were allocated to 'civilians (Boys)'.

Could anyone advise me as to what 'civilian (Boys)' referred to exactly, and at what age and in what capacity the 'Boys' might have joined the RFC/RAF.

Thank you, Terry marker

[tipperary]

Hi Terry  i think they were trade apprentices they died from influenza.The boys you refer to could well be in this category.john

 

 

[Errol Martyn]

Terry,

John Ross was one such Boy. His autobiographical 'The Royal Flying Corps Boy Service' was published in 1990.

He continued his account in another book - 'The RFC to the RAF, India 1919'.

Errol

[Terry Marker]

Many thanks. Will have a trawl through the information you both offered up. Terry