Sergeant Felix Allen

Felix Allen

Sergeant Felix Allen died as a result of complications of Spanish Influenza after contracting the disease while transporting a prisoner.

He had left Memphis to return an Army deserter to Camp Pike (present-day Joseph T. Robinson Camp) in Little Rock, Arkansas. While at Camp Pike Sergeant Allen complained of feeling ill and his condition became gradually worse upon returning to his home in the 1300 block of Court Avenue in the Midtown neighborhood of Memphis. Sergeant Allen died as a result of complications of Spanish Influenza at his home 10 days later.

Sergeant Allen had served with the Memphis Police Department for less than six years. He was survived by his wife and one son. His body was taken to his hometown of Batesville, Arkansas, where he was buried at Kyler Cemetery.

Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement

Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.

The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.

Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.