Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: James Daniel Ryan
Ancestor's date of birth: 28/12/1879
Ancestor's date of death: 10/06/1916
Cause of Death: "Found" Drowned - Cassassini, Egypt.
Service Number: 471
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Murrumburrah
Unit: 5th Australian Commonwealth Horse
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: On enlistment
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): TPR, Date Effective: 17/09/1914
Murray Page: 194
Contingent: Third Australian
Ship: Columbia, Date of Sailing: 22/05/1902
Memorial details: Memorial Goulburn Park NSW, Tel el-Kebir, Egypt
Awards/Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with SA 1902 clasp. 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Height 176 cm, weight 67 kg (1914).
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided
Details of service in war: Arrived after the Boer war ended.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia 1 July 1902 on the Manchester Merchant. Not recorded as having married, but had an "ex-nuptual" son (Master James Clement Smith). Joined the AIF 17 September 1914, #530 6th Light Horse fought at Gallipoli in B Sqn 6 LH. Was serving in Egypt with the 2nd Light Horse Reserve Regiment when he was found drowned at Cassassini. His WW1 record makes sad reading.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Phyllis Forbes, Heathcote NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Niece
