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Inspector

Thomas H. Lynch

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic → Illness

End of Watch February 2, 1919

Age 48

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 82 · Column 4 · Line 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Also Remembered Department 105

Incident

Inspector Thomas Lynch died as a result of complications of influenza while in the performance of his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.

Inspector Lynch was working on a case where he arrested the suspects who had influenza.

The first case of influenza was reported in Boston on August 28, 1918, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths by the end of the year. Two major events in Boston in early September 1918 contributed to the spread of the deadly second wave of influenza in the city. The "Win-the-War-for-Freedom" patriotic parade on September 3 drew around 5,000 military participants and civilians. Within 72 hours after the parade, every Boston Hospital was filled with influenza patients. The 1918 World Series pitted the Chicago Cubs against the Boston Red Sox, drawing over 62,000 fans during the three final home games at Fenway Park on September 9, 10, and 11. Boston police officers were assigned crowd control and provided security at these events, while also performing their regular job duties. They worked an average of 73 to 98 hours a week, making them more susceptible to contracting influenza and then spreading it throughout the police department.

Inspector Lynch served with the Boston Police Department for 15 years and was assigned to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Police Headquarters.

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Inspector Thomas H. Lynch died on February 2, 1919 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 48.

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.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Inspector Lynch gave the Boston Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Lynch.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 2, 1919

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Cause Detail Influenza Pandemic

The Sacrifice · Illness

Thomas 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1919, 32 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 11th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Thomas was 48. 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. Thomas had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.