Rifleman Thomas Ratrick Ryan was relatively old - 34 years old - when he enlisted in 1917. He was a self-employed contractor who lived with his mother in Langdon's Road, Papanui. He had been born in the Christchurch suburb of Sydenham, enlisted in March 1917 and after training was posted to B Company of the 1st Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He arrived for service in France in late October 1917. On 10 March 1918 he was admitted to the Field Ambulance suffering from myalgia – pain and stiffness in muscles and joints – which reoccurred after being returned to duty a week later. He spent four months in convalescence before being returned to field service in the No 3 Entrenching Battalion for a month. He rejoined his unit on 13 August and ten days later on 23 August 1918 was killed in action. He is commemorated at the Grevillers Memorial near Bapaume.
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