Patrolman

Peter Francis Neary

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA
End of Watch September 21, 1918
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Peter Neary died as a result of complications after contracting Spanish Influenza while in the performance of his duties a week earlier. His duties were to respond to medical assistance calls and help the coroner.

The first case of Spanish Influenza was reported in Boston on August 28, 1918, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths by the end of 1918. Boston Police Officers performed many tasks to help stop the spreadof the flu while working an average of 73-98 hours weekly.

Patrolman Neary was assigned to District 5.

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Patrolman Peter Francis Neary died on September 21, 1918 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 33.

He is one of 201 officers honored here, and one of 14 at Boston Police Department.

The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.

They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtmn5ht3592gzk568h1a2
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Peter. Claim this record.

Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. Peter is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Patrolman Neary served with the Boston Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Neary.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA
Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 21, 1918
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail Influenza Pandemic

The Sacrifice · Illness

Peter is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1918, 226 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 3rd heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Peter was 33. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 11.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Saturdays: 13.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Boston Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Peter among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Peter Francis Neary

Boston Police Department · End of Watch September 21, 1918

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 5-E

Also Remembered

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →

↑