Henry Joseph Ryan

Lieutenant

Additional Information:

Son of Henry Joseph and Margaret Mary Ryan. Born Tipperary, Ireland.

References:

CWGC

National Archives of Australia

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

Lieutenant Henry Joseph Ryan was my Great Uncle. My great grandfather (John) and Lieutenant Henry Joseph’s father (Henry) were brothers in Tipperary, Ireland. Henry Joseph and his twin sister Mary ...Bridget were born 31 January 1878, Nelson Street Tipperary Township Ireland. (1) The twins were the 5th and 6th siblings of the 12 children born to Henry Ryan, a master baker bc 1842 died 1897 Tipperary and Margaret (nee Scully) Born 1848 Died 1909 Tipperary. Henry Joseph had completed Primary School when he entered the De La Salle Juniorate College, Castletown, County Laois, Ireland on the 26 August 1891. The purpose of boys to enter a Juniorate at an early age was to ensure that they had had an adequate level of education in order to eventually qualify as teachers. At that time there was no Second level Education in Ireland. Henry Joseph left the Juniorate on 18 February 1892 because he was “lonesome or homesick”. At age of 21 Henry Joseph travelled on the Duke of Argyll from London to Brisbane, Australia, arriving on the 20 June 1900. (2) His older brother Matthew had arrived earlier in 1896. Around 1906, Henry Joseph travelled onto British New Guinea, and was employed as a Patrol Officer and later promoted to Resident Magistrate. British New Guinea was to became the Territory of Papua, and in 1906 it received formal Australian Government administration and was renamed Papua. In 1914 the territory known as German New Guinea was captured by the Australians and later both territories merged to what is now known as Papua New Guinea (PNG). His letters recall many expeditions into the remote areas of PNG for mineral exploration and encounters with some hostile locals. Cannibalism was still practiced at this time. On the 6 January 1916, aged 37 Henry Joseph enlisted at Port Moresby, PNG with the Australian Imperial Force, Unit 15th 25th Battalion. He embarked on the Clan MacGillivary on the 7th September 1916 for England and France and held the rank of Lieutenant. His Army records describe Henry as 5’11”, 175 lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. (3) During his war service he was gassed three times and twice wounded. On the 17th July 1918 while leading “C” Company against enemy trenches Henry Joseph was killed by a machine gun blast. Henry’s Joseph’s last word were reported to be “Come on Boys we’ll rush them.” (4) The Australian Red Cross file of his death has statements from members of “C” Company. ”He was popular with the boys and as game as you wish”. “He was very popular and very brave and we were all very fond of him” (5) Henry Joseph Ryan is buried Row C Plot 10 in the Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Somme, France. (6) His war service record states that he served on the Western Front and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Henry Joseph never married. Works Cited 1. Irish Family History Foundation. www.rootseireland.ie. [Online] January 7 2015. 2. Duke of Argyll Passenger Schedule B. 1900. 3. National Archives of Australia. http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=8071931. [Online] 1914/8071931. [Cited: 14 January 2015.] 4. Newspaper . Tipperary People. August, 1918. 5. Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing. Enquiry Bureau File 1914-1918 War. [Online] 1914-1918 1 DRL/0428. 6. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/26145/RYAN,%20HENRY%20JOSEPH. [Online] Read More

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Casualty

Name:

Henry Joseph Ryan

Rank:

Lieutenant

Date of Birth:

31 January 1878

Place of Birth:

Tipperary, Ireland

Next of Kin:

Mrs Josephine Kennedy (sister), 256 Ormond Road, Whataupoko, Gisborne, New Zealand

Date of Enlistment:

01 June 1916

Occupation on Enlistment:

Resident Magistrate

Employer:

Delat Division, Papua

Unit:

Australian Infantry, 25 Battalion

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

17 July 1918

Day of Death:

Wednesday

Age at Death:

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux

Cemetery Location:

France