Emmet Thomas Conroy signatureOn this day in 1918 Emmet Thomas Conroy died of pneumonia caused by Spanish Flu at Camp Mohawk. He had joined the Royal Flying Corps on October 2nd, 1917 as a ‘rigger’: a specialist carpenter responsible for maintaining the structure of the aircraft. Emmet’s elder brother, Paul Servillian Conroy had also joined the Royal Air Force. He was in training as a pilot cadet at the Long Branch camp (near Toronto). Paul also died of Spanish Flu, at the Toronto base hospital, on the day before Emmet. The Montreal Gazette reported on the brothers’ deaths on October 14th:

Conroy brothers' deaths reported in Montreal Gazette, 14 Oct 1918

Montreal Gazette report on Conroy brothers, October 14th, 1918

BROTHERS WERE VICTIMS OF FLU

Paul and Thomas Conroy Were Training at Aviation Camp

The bodies of two brothers, Paul S. Conroy and Thomas Emmet Conroy, both victimes of the influenza scourge, lie in the one mortuary chamber at their parents’ residence, 48 St. Louis square. Both were attacked with the disease while in training in Ontario aviation camps. Much sympathy was expressed on all sides yesterday for the bereaved family. A double funeral will take place this morning to St. Patrick’s Church and thence to the Cote des Neiges Cemetery for interment.

Thomas Emmet Conroy, aged 22 years, and youngest son of Mr Thomas Conroy, died at Mohawk Camp, Deseronto, on Saturday afternoon. His brother, Paul S. Conroy, notary public aged 28 years, died at the base hospital at Toronto on Friday morning. Both brothers succumbed to an attack of influenza, which developed into pneumonia. The body of Paul arrived in Montreal from Toronto on Saturday night, and the remains of his brother Thomas Emmet, reached here on Sunday morning.

Paul was born on December 24th, 1890. He had originally been drafted on July 22nd, 1918 with the regimental number 3089636 but transferred to the RAF on August 3rd. Emmet was born on October 27th, 1895. Their parents were Thomas Conroy and Mary Ann (née Smith). The men were buried in the same grave in the Cotes des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.

Photograph of the Conroys' grave, courtesy of Graceti at FindaGrave.com

Photograph of the Conroys’ grave, courtesy of Graceti at FindaGrave.com