John Stanley Ryan

Captain John Stanley Ryan KRRC was the son of Thomas and Margaret Ann Ryan of 76 Westbourne Park Villas, Paddington. 

Ryan was a scholar at the Merchant Taylors’ School before becoming a Chartered Accountant.

At school he was a keen and able cricketer, playing in the XI in 1906 and two following years. In 1908 he was second in batting and first in bowling, scoring 245 runs with an average of 22.27 and taking twenty wickets for 25.90 runs apiece.

He was equally adept in the XV, making his mark after school with Middlesex County and had a trial for England.

He was initiated into Sir Thomas White Lodge in January 1912 before being passed and raised later that same year.

He served with the HAC before the War before being gazetted to the KRRC with the 18th (Service) Battalion (Arts & Crafts) formed at Gidea Park in London by Major Sir Herbert Raphael on 4 June 1915.

He was killed on 25 June 1916:

“The early morning of the 25th dawned relatively quiet until about 11 am when the enemy launched numerous rifle grenades into the British front line. Holding the centre of the latter were “B” Company under the command of Captain John Stanley Ryan and it was this company that faced the full ferocity of this sudden deluge of grenades.

Captain Ryan, a prominent Rugby Union player for Middlesex County who had trialled for England, was unfortunately killed along with Company Sergeant Major George William Bulman. Both Bulman, originally a native of Redcar and a married man of Portsmouth and Captain Ryan, now lie in Berks Cemetery Extension not far from where they fell.”