Sapper Thomas Leo Ryan
Survivor of WW1
Service Biography
Thomas Leo Ryan was born at Hemmingford, Quebec, on 28 July 1886. A single Roman Catholic farmer, he was drafted under the Military Service Act and entered Canadian Expeditionary Force service at Montreal on 14 May 1918. Ryan transferred to the Canadian Engineers and served as a sapper in England and France, including service with the Canadian Engineer Pool and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company. He returned to Canada in 1919 and was discharged at Montreal on 3 July 1919 following the cessation of hostilities.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
3084536
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Regiment:
Canadian Engineers
Battalion:
2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Hemmingford, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
31 years 9 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
32 years 11 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Jerry Harry Ryan (brother), Hemmingford, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Hemmingford, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 5.0 in / 165 cm
Weight:
121 lbs / 55 kg
Chest:
34.5 in / 88 cm
Expansion:
2.5 in / 6 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
415 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Sapper |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company |
|
|
|
| Last substantive field unit; selected as default rather than later repatriation/demobilization postings. |
| WW1 |
Sapper |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Canadian Engineer Pool |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Sapper |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalions |
|
|
|
| Surviving forms show transfers among numbered C.E.R.B. units; exact intermediate sequence is partly obscured, so it is not over-specified. |
| WW1 |
Private |
1st Quebec Regiment |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
1st Depot Battalion |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Sapper |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Engineer Training Depot |
|
|
|
| Transferred to Canadian Engineers on enlistment day; overseas embarkation ends the Canada training phase. |
| WW1 |
Sapper |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
3rd Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalion |
|
|
|
| Administrative repatriation/demobilization posting; exact Date From within May 1919 is not fully legible. |
Service Chronology
1886-07-28 — Born.
1918-05-14 — Joined under the Military Service Act with the 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment; medical category A2.
1918-05-14 — Transferred to the Canadian Engineers.
1918-05-18 — Executed military will leaving his personal estate to his brother Jerry Harry Ryan.
1918-07-20 — Embarked from Canada for England.
1918-07-22 — Arrived in England.
1918-07-26 — Taken on strength in the Canadian Engineer reinforcement system.
1918-08-06 — Transferred among Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalions.
1918-09-20 — Struck off strength of 3rd Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalion to Canadian Engineer Pool.
1918-09-21 — Taken on strength of Canadian Engineer Pool.
1919-01-24 — Struck off strength of Canadian Engineer Pool to Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp.
1919-01-25 — Taken on strength of Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp from Canadian Engineer Pool.
1919-02-26 — Taken on strength of 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company.
1919-03-16 — Joined 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company in the field.
1919-05-13 — Proceeded to England.
1919-05 — Passed into Canadian Engineer reinforcement/repatriation organization.
1919-06 — Returned to Canada through the demobilization system.
1919-07-03 — Discharged following cessation of hostilities.
Notes
Ryan was a single Roman Catholic farmer from Hemmingford, Quebec; his recruit form also records Fireman. His brother Jerry Harry Ryan of Hemmingford was next of kin. At his May 1918 medical examination Ryan was 5 ft 5 in tall, weighed 121 lb, and had a chest measurement of 32–34 1/2 in. He was classified A2. A medical examination on leaving the service recorded no disability.
Additional Service Notes
Drafted under the Military Service Act, Thomas Leo Ryan joined the 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment, at Montreal on 14 May 1918 and transferred to the Canadian Engineers the same day. He embarked for England in July 1918 and served overseas as a Sapper through Canadian Engineer reinforcement organizations, the Canadian Engineer Pool, and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Company in France. He returned to Canada in 1919 and was discharged at Montreal on 3 July 1919 following the cessation of hostilities.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Brother and next of kin: Jerry Harry Ryan, Hemmingford, Quebec. Ryan executed a military will on 18 May 1918 leaving his personal estate to Jerry Harry Ryan of Hemmingford.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-30 14:54:38
by: marc
