SAPPER JAMES BARTHOLOMEW RYAN
6642 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
James ‘Jim’ Bartholomew Ryan was born in Charters Towers, Queensland about 1892 the son of Jeremiah James and Mary (nee Walsh) Ryan. In 1913 he was a miner at Duchess, near Cloncurry, Western Queensland and later was living at the Family Hotel, Nelson working as a Labourer. Towards the end of 1916 he was a Labourer residing at the Exchange Hotel in the small mining township of Wolfram, North Queensland. His previous attempt to enlist had been rejected because of Appendicitis but had recovered from his operation.
At the Recruiting Office Cairns, Queensland on August 22, 1916 James applied to enlist for service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination. The single labourer’s ‘fit for service’ application was accepted by the enlisting officer. Personal particulars from the form give his height as 163cms (5ft 4ins) with a chest measurement of 89cms (35ins). In Cairns on September 2, 1916 the medical examiner approved his fitness as per the original assessor and the enlisting officer finalised the completed Attestation Forms. Details include his age of twenty-four and a half years and weight of 63.6kgs (140lbs). Fair was his complexion with brown eyes and fair hair and his vision was good. Roman Catholic was his religion. His next-of-kin nominated was his mother Mrs Mary Ryan of Torrens Creek, Qld but later changed to Mexican Street, Charters Towers, Qld.
Basic training commenced on September 8, 1916 at the 11th Depot Battalion, Enoggera, Brisbane, Qld. Private Ryan was moved on September 14 to train with the 7th Reinforcements to 49th Battalion finishing on October 26, 1916. Several days’ instruction was taken with the 11th Reinforcements to the 31st Battalion until October 31, 1916 when he transferred to the Miners’ Corps (1st Military District) until December 6, 1916. During his training home leave was granted before travelling to the Miners’ camp in Seymour, Victoria for more detailed instruction on December 6, which was completed on January 11, 1917. With the Regimental number 6642 and the rank of Sapper he joined the January 1917 Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies.
The Reinforcements consisting of 168 members departed Melbourne, Vic at 3 p.m. on January 17, 1917 on board the HMAT A5 RMS Omrah. The mail ship arrived at 8 a.m. two days later at Adelaide, S.A. and headed off at 4 p.m. that afternoon. It sailed into the Western Australian port of Fremantle on January 21 and left on January 24, 1917. The ship returned to Fremantle at 7 a.m. on February 1 and put out to sea again at 5 p.m. the next afternoon February 2.
While at sea the following Offence was dealt with:
Offence:At sea 15/2/17 neglect of duty while on guard
Award:120 hours detention by Lt-Col E.M. Ralph 16/2/17
Durban, South Africa was reached at 7 a.m. on February 16 and departed at 6 p.m. the following evening. The next port of call was Cape Town on February 20 arriving at 8 a.m. and at 5 p.m. sailed on February 24. The sights of Sierra Leone were seen closely on March 9, 1917 as the vessel docked at 8 a.m. and after refuelling left at 7 a.m. on March 12, 1917. The voyage concluded at Devonport on March 27, 1917 and the troops disembarked at Plymouth after 74 days at sea. The three officers and 165 other ranks were detrained to Tidworth. The Reinforcements marched in to the Draft Department at Perham Downs’ camp.
The troops proceeded overseas on April 14, 1917 to France via Folkstone and the following day marched into the Aust. General Base Depot. Six days later on April 21 Sapper Ryan was detailed to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion and on May 4, 1917 was attached to the 3rd Tunnelling Company.
On July 27, 1917 Sapper Ryan was wounded in action and taken to the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance with a gunshot wound to his right knee. He passed on to the 18th Casualty Clearing Station and then onto the 3rd C.C.S. and conveyed on A.T.38 to be admitted to the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers.
The following is an extract from the 3rd Tunnelling Company’s Unit War Diary for July 1917:
He was transferred on August 3 to No 6 Command Depot, Etaples and a week later to No 5 Com. Depot at Cayeux. By September 1 was well enough to be discharged to A.G.B.D., Rouelles and left on September 14 to rejoin his unit arriving on September 21, 1916.
No further incidents, sickness or accidents occurred and he was still with his unit when audited on August 15, 1918.
Two days later he was taken to the 7th Casualty Clearing Station suffering with Diarrhoea and transferred to the 12th Stationary Hospital the following day. Brought to Boulogne on A.T.26 was admitted to the 14th Stationary Hospital diagnosed with Dysentery.
By September 7 was sent to No 7 Command Depot to recover and then to recuperate for several days at the No 5 Rest Camp. He returned to A.G.B.D. at Rouelles and left for his unit on September 20 rejoining the Company on September 26, 1917.
He proceeded on leave to Paris on October 20, 1918 and rejoined after his break on November 3, 1918.
After the Armistice the Company remained in the district as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with rehabilitation work such as repairing roads and bridges.
On November 29, 1918 Sapper was taken sick to the 2/3 N.M. Field Ambulance then sent to the 32nd C.C.S. and admitted with P.U.O. (Pyrexia (Fever) Unknown Origin). Two days later was relocated to the 39th Stationary Hospital on A.T.25 then moved to the 7th General Hospital at Wimereux on December 5, 1918 for treatment of a Social Disease.
Five days later returned to Base Details at the A.G.B.D., Rouelles. Leave was granted to the U.K on December 22, 1918 where he spent Christmas and New Year, returning to France on January 6, 1919. He marched out to rejoin his unit on January 14 arriving two days later.
The Company was recalled to Base to prepare for Repatriation on March 27, 1919 and organised to depart the Aust. Infantry Base Depot on April 2 and marched into the No 3 Group Camp at Codford, Eng the next day. The Sapper was admitted to the 39th General Hospital diagnosed with Scabies on March 28 and was released from hospital on April 1, 1919 in time to depart France as arranged.
Sapper Ryan on May 11, 1919 departed England on the transport H.T. Borda for the return voyage to Australia. His mother was advised on June 8, 1919 that her son was due in port in a few weeks time. The ship arrived in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on June 27, 1919 and he reached Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) a few days later.
He was discharged (medically unfit) in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) on August 11, 1919 and returned to mining at Kuridala, Western Queensland.
For serving his country Sapper 6642 James Bartholomew Ryan, 3rd Tunnelling Company was awarded with the British War Medal (27475) and the Victory Medal (26355). Collection of his Victory Medal did not occur until July 27, 1931.
By 1925 he was a resident of the Metropolitan Hotel, Townsville and his occupation was a Labourer. In the early 1930’s he was living at ‘Ednamond’ Sturt Street, Townsville and in 1936/37 was at ‘Fermoy’ 29 Walker Street, Townsville and still a Labourer.
A Statement of Service was sent to the Repatriation Department, Brisbane on January 6, 1938.
James Bartholomew Ryan died on April 2, 1941 aged about 49 years. The following news was published:
His funeral took place the same day with the notice reading:
He was interred in the Belgian Gardens Cemetery, Townsville in Section 2A in Grave No 25 and his grave remains unmarked.
© Donna Baldey 2010/2018