--- CAPT. D.R. THURSTAN A.F.C. --- WW1 CASUALTY

CAPT. DENZIL ROBERT THURSTAN 

AIR FORCE CROSS

WW1 Casualty - Died 29 February 1919

The original parchment Death scroll.

(It appears he succumbed to the 1918 "Spanish Flu" pandemic)

Please note there are two variations in the spelling of his surname.

Thurston & Thurstan.

(Thurstan appears in the London Gazette - Page 1034 - Air Force Cross

and also on his parchment "Death scroll")

It seems that Thurstan was Australian

From  Perth, Western Australia.

(Or perhaps originally from New Zealand)

He was linguistically versatile:

English, French, Spanish, Russian & German.

Serving as an Interpreter.

Royal Naval Air Service

Airship Pilot

Was involved in Airship Training and

Armoured Cars in Russia.

The WW1 cap badge of the Royal Naval Air Service.

Promotion for THURSTAN:

He is now Flight-Commander in R.N.A.S.

Awarded Air Force Cross -

London Gazette p#7034

Died 24 February 1919 in Lincoln Hospital (age 30)

LONDON 27th February:

Many friends in New Zealand will regret to hear of the death of Captain Denzil R. Thurstan, R.A.F., which occurred as a result of pneumonia and influenza, at Cranwell Air Station, Lincolnshire. Captain Thurstan was in H.M.S. New Zealand on her Empire cruise as Assistant-Paymaster. He made a hobby of aviation before the war, and shortly after the outbreak, transferred to the R.N.A.S. he was later attached to the Armoured Car Squadron in Russia and on his return entered upon the regular work of the R.A.F.

Thurstan was an Old Haileyburian and is listed in their Roll of Honour.

During the First World War, the 4th Northern General Hospital was at the Grammar School in Lincoln. the hospital had 1,400 beds and during the course of the war, admissions numbered 45,000. Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, which was near the hospital, contains 139 First World War burials, almost 90 of them forming a war graves plot.