Edward William (Ted) Ryan

3rd. Oct. 1922 -- Oct. 2007

Hi!. My name is EDWARD WILLIAM RYAN but I answer more readily to TED. Over the years I have been called many names, some polite, some not so polite. Particularly by my old Army mates. I now live at 50 Stewart Terrace, Gympie, Qld. 4570 with my wife Bertha Miriam Ryan (nee Hill). We have 5 children, all girls, and all grown up and married, 18 grandchildren and 15 Great Grandchildren.

I was born in Gympie on the 3rd. October 1922, the second son of James Bernard Ryan (Barney) and Harriet Emily Campbell nee Morgan (Em). My Father - Barney Ryan - was a Locomotive Engine Driver for the Queensland Railways, stationed at the Gympie Depot and my mother - Em - before her marriege to Barney conducted a boarding house in Mellor Street, Gympie. I spent all my childhood in Gympie, being educated at the Christian Brothers’ College where in 1938 I became the Dux of the College. In the same year I sat for the Junior Public Examination achieving 30th. place overall for Queensland. As a result I was appointed to the Queensland Public Service as a Junior Clerk with the State Government Insurance Office -- now known as Suncorp --, but was later transferred to the staff of the Court House, Gympie.

With the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939, I tried to join the Australian Imperial Forces, (A. I. F.) but was rejected because of my age. Later with the entry of Japan imminent I was called up in the A. M. F. (Australian Militia Forces or "Chocos" as they became known), and immediately transferred to the A. I. F. and was posted to the 5t. Army Troop Company, R. A. E., A. I. F. I served in the South West Pacific Area at Milne Bay; Madang; Lae; and the Solomon Islands, and later with the surrender of Japan with the Occupation Forces in Singapore and Malaya. While serving in Malaya an appeal was made for volunteers for the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF) to serve in Japan. However, as the Authorities were interested only in individual volunteers, -- not Units -- not a single one volunteered from the 5 Army Troop Company, which had indicated its willingness to volunteer as a complete unit as it had no desire to be fragmented, having been together since 1941. In 1944 I was confirmed in the rank of Corporal, and at the time of my discharge at the Redbank Discharge Depot I was fulfilling the functions of Acting Warrant Officer II.

Discharged in 1946 I resumed work at the Court House, Gympie, but after a couple of years transferred to the Department of Labour & Industry as an Industrial Inspector serving in Brisbane for about a year and a half, in a learning situation, before being posted to Mackay. I served in Mackay for the rest of my Public Service career, eventually resigning about 1968 to establish a dairy farm on the coast outside Mackay. While serving in Mackay my War service caught up with me and I received a 100% War Disability Pension. After about 10 years on the dairy farm I was forced by illness to sell the Farm, and several years later applied for and secured a War Service Pension from the Department of Veteran Affairs.

After several years during which we travelled considerably by camper-van literally all round Australia, we moved from Mackay and took up residence at Scarborough, Redcliffe, Queensland just north of Brisbane. While living there I underwent surgery for a total knee replacement of both knees, and several years later for a triple by-pass operation on my heart, which was also accepted by Veteran Affairs as a War Caused Disability. In September 1997, after about 5 years in Redcliffe, we sold out again and moved to our present residence in Gympie. This move virtually completed a full circle, as I am now living about half a kilometre from where I was born.

Wedding Photograph 28th October 1942

For quite a number of years I have been very interested in Genealogy, and my Family Tree, and about 1986 with this in mind I made contacts in Ireland trying to establish my real roots. I became a Member of the Clan Ryan, Tipperary and, with the Clan’s permission, on the 16th. November 1994 established a Queensland Branch of the Clan under the name of CLAN RYAN (QUEENSLAND) with a Foundation Membership of 21 Members, which at the last count in September 2000 had increased to 186 Members. I was elected the Foundation President/Chieftain of the Clan for a period of three years, and at the A. G. M. in 1997, I was re-elected unopposed for a further 3 years, and again was unopposed at the AGM on October 2000. One of the main aims of the Clan is to establish a National Data Base of Ryans in Australia, and with this project up and running we already have in excess of 1500 names entered in our Data base. We would love to hear from you with details of your Ryan Family Connections, and of course would love to have you join us in the Clan. Another high priority plan for the Clan is the development of an International Ryan Data Base for access by any person world wide who is seeking to trace their Ryan lineage. At present this project is receiving attention in Australia, America and Ireland, but will take some time to develop. The last report I had on the project is that the Ryan Clan Assn, US Sept under the Presidency of Mr. J. Terry Ryan of Florida had successfully launched a Ryan Database on the Internet, but as yet I have not learned just how to access it.

Personally, I am very keen to hear from any descendants of WILLIAM RYAN and ANNE KILKEARY - both born in Tipperary - who were married in Australia on the 4th. January 1866 in St. Mary’s R. C. Church, Ipswich, Queensland. William & Anne were my Great Grand-Parents and I have all the details of my direct line to them through my Grand-father James RYAN but no information (other than their names and birth dates) of their other children who were Edward, James, William, Mary Josephine, Thomas and Margaret, and that their firstborn was an unnamed female who was either stillborn, or died soon after birth.

Later through the good graces of Russell Ryan of Sydney and Len Sutherland of Gladstone I obtained information on the abovementioned Edward Ryan, who like his brother James also added an extra name to his Birth name becoming Edward (Timothy). Russell Ryan and Len Sutherland are both descendent from two separate children of Edward Timothy. Anyone who may have any information about their 5 other children as listed above - including further on Edward Timothy - I would be most appreciative if you could contact me...

Also ANY RYAN DESCENDENT who may not have descended from William & Anne I would be delighted to hear from you with details of your Ryan connections for inclusion in the Ryan Data Base, ...

Editors Note: If anyone wishes to supply information for the database please send it to the Clan Ryan secretary.