100 years ago, the Spanish flu killed millions of people and thousands died in the north-east of the country

It was a cruel twist of history …

100 years ago, the First World War came to a victorious, but very bloody conclusion. The conflict would leave hundreds of thousands dead and millions of lives broken.

And then, immediately after, the "Spanish flu". It is estimated that the pandemic has caused between 50 and 100 million deaths worldwide.

It has spread death to every corner of the globe, from the Arctic to the Pacific Islands.

In the UK, the virus killed at least 228,000 people. The movement of soldiers and civilians arriving in Britain and the effects of overpopulation, poor ventilation and a minimal understanding of viruses have spread the disease.

A heartfelt letter, kept in the Imperial War Museum in London, highlights the cruel moment of the Spanish flu.

The writer recalls the anguish of mourning the death of their seven-year-old mother and sister, while others were celebrating the end of the war: "It caused a sensation … having to have a double burial on November 11th. 1918, the very day of the end of the First World War.

"I remember very well when the procession was en route to the church. The bells, thugs and all the sounds of the celebration were delusional, but how did the silent people realize that it was our funeral. It was really a terrible time not to know who we were going to lose then. "

Letters written in the 1970s by those who had witnessed the effects of the influenza virus described large families struck, gravediggers working from dawn to dusk and hearses carrying more than one casket to the time.

Doctors did not know how to treat the virus and many had to do their best to cope with the pandemic on their own.

As might be expected, it was easier for the flu to spread to more densely populated areas than to less populated areas.

However, those living in less densely populated and overpopulated areas could travel to the most densely populated cities to catch the virus and return them to their small town without realizing it. The virus had an incubation period of 24 to 48 hours.

In 1918, in Newcastle, there were 1,037 deaths from influenza and at least 22% of the population of Newcastle were infected with influenza between 1918 and 1919.

Although the winter wave of the epidemic reached Newcastle a little later than in other cities, many casualties were recorded in November 1918.

The Saint-Thomas district suffered the largest number of deaths due to overcrowding.

At the Walkergate Municipal Hospital, nurses wore four layers of gauze masks and used a nasal douche and gargled daily.

In an almost perverse way, the statistics of the time show how the virus affected the healthiest members of the population aged 20 to 45 – not the very young or the oldest.

Dr. H. Kerr, Medical Officer of Health in Newcastle, said: "24 mothers died during the year and the cause of death in 83% of cases was influenza."

In the same report, he described how all elementary schools in the city were shut down by the Education Committee between July 8 and August 26 because of the flu.

In 1918, T Eustace Hill, Durham's Medical Officer of Health, said, "The entire staff of the county health visitors has set aside all other duties and battled the flu, working night and day to save lives. "

Later in the 20th century, the Spanish flu became known as the "forgotten pandemic," and many families today are likely to have unknown personal connections to the tragic historical event.

Now, the BBC marks the centenary of the Spanish flu epidemic with television and radio programs.

Hannah Mawdsley, a PhD researcher at the Imperial War Museum, advises the BBC and researches the subject.

She said, "I hope the BBC programs help people better understand a relatively unknown aspect of early 20th century history and to make the voices of ordinary people who have lived this pandemic. society is still vulnerable to global pandemic threats today. "

BBC Two will mark the centenary of the Spanish flu with a docu-drama next Tuesday, September 25 at 9:00 pm, titled The Flu That Killing 50 Million.

Using testimonials from doctors, soldiers, civilians and politicians, and helped by dramatic re-enactments, this unique show brings to life the terrifying onslaught of the disease, the horror of those who experienced it, and the hope scientists desperately sought a cure.

See how many people have been affected by Spanish flu in cities in the UK.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45097068