7th Training Squadron, Australian Flying Squad
Roy Nelson Victor McGuffie was born on 12 December 1887 at Hobart in Tasmania. He was the son of Daniel and Marie McGuffie and the husband of Lucy Veronica McGuffie of Furneaux Street, Cooktown, Queensland: the couple had three children. Prior to enlistment Roy had an unusual occupation, as an Assistant Lighthouse Keeper, with the Australian Lighthouse Service.
He sought to join the Australian Imperial Force on 15 January 1918 at Townsville, Queensland, having had no previous military service and was accepted into the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) on 1 February 1918, aged 30 years and one month, as an Air Mechanic Second Class.
Following some initial training he embarked from Sydney on 8 May 1918, aboard the RMS Osterley and arrived at Liverpool on 10 July, whence he immediately travelled to the AFC Depot at Halton Camp, Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
His first posting in the UK came on 28 September 1918, to 7th Training Squadron at Leighterton Aerodrome, where he undertook duties of servicing and repairing aircraft.
The winter of 1918/19 was notorious for the spread of influenza (dubbed ‘Spanish Flu’) and many succumbed. Roy McGuffie was one of its victims. He was admitted to Tetbury Cottage Hospital on 7 February and by the 13th was considered to be dangerously ill. He died as a result of bronchial pneumonia, brought on by the influenza on 19 February 1919, aged 31.
He was buried with the usual military honours in Leighterton Church Cemetery, on 21 February 1919, where a CWGC headstone now marks his grave.
It is believed that his widow, having been left with three young children, remarried.
Researched by Graham Adams 4 February 2018