5th Training Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Edgar Thomas Filmer was born at Taralgon, Victoria, Australia on 8 November 1899, the son of Edgar Stephen and Kate Mason Filmer, of Sarsfield, Gippsland, Victoria.
He was a carpenter by trade and enlisted into the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), as an Air Mechanic Second Class at sale, Victoria on 24 January 1918. After basic training he left Melbourne on 7 March 1918 aboard the RMS Ormonde, as part of an AFC Reinforcement draft, arriving at Suez on 4 April. He stayed in Egypt until leaving Port Tewfik on 30 April bound for Southampton, where he disembarked on 15 May.
As with the majority of AFC reinforcements his initial stay was at the AFC Depot, Halton Camp, Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Whilst there he spent the period 23 May to 20 June in hospital in Aylesbury, suffering from bronchitis. On 13 July went for an instruction course at the RAF School of Technical Training, Reading, returning to Halton Camp on 3 August.
On 28 September 1918 he was posted to No 5 Training Squadron at Minchinhampton Aerodrome (later known as Aston Down).
On 1 February 1919 he was admitted to Tetbury Cottage Hospital suffering from influenza: the epidemic, known as ‘Spanish Flu’ was then rife. His condition worsened and he was reported ‘dangerously ill’ on 5 February and on the 12th, at 10.30am, he died, from bronchial pneumonia, brought on by influenza. He was aged 29 and a single man.
He was buried in Leighterton Church Cemetery, with military honours, on 14 February. A CWGC headstone now marks his grave.
Researched by Graham Adams 24 January 2018