Essendon Gazette 27 May 1915

Private V. C. M. Ryan, of Moonee Ponds, is amongst those reported to be wounded.

Private Vernon Charles M Ryan (MG) of the 7th Battalion, machine gun section (wounded), is the third eldest son of Ernest G. Ryan, of 422 Ascot Vale road, Moonee Ponds. He was a permanent employee at the Newport Workshops at the time war  was declared, and enlisted in the Essendon district. He was educated at the Ascot Vale State School. He was a good athlete, and the distinction of M.G. was won by him while an Egypt.  When in the cadets as a boy he was present at the parade before the present King and Queen.

Essendon Gazette 17 June 1915

Private V. C. M.  Ryan (M.G.), who was wounded, writes as follows:-

"At the present I am in the best of health. The bullet wound in my  head is healing up very well, and my back is a lot better now; I have it rubbed every day. When I got shot, I tried to pull my gun back,  and went over the cliffs and ricked my back.  We were brought back on stretchers to the beach, and put on Hospital boats.  There were 470 on our boat. We sailed back to Alexandria, and were then sent to Victoria College.  It is a lovely place. The Government are using all the big buildings as hospitals.

We landed just after the first six boats of the 3rd Brigade, and we had two bayonet charges in ten minutes. Where we landed there was a hill about 100 feet height,  and the Turks were on this hill with machine guns and rifles firing as we landed, and we were getting peppered also from their forts with shells. Poor old "Jim" my mate, was in the water with a machine gun on his shoulder, as well as I.  I heard him yell out "I am shot".  I rushed out of the water wet through, and carrying  my gun.  We had to go forward after we got out of the water, and face perfect hailstorm of bullets and shrapnel shells. Our sergeant major was shot; the bullet lodged just behind his forehead. I saw him; he is walking about. Our lieutenant got shot when I did; he had his toes blown off. I suppose it has been published about the Australian troops and their dogged fighting. We advanced about two miles, drawing the enemy along all the way. On Sunday night and Monday we got all the artillery up in the firing line, and we were reinforced by the New  Zealanders,  and the Indian Mountain Batteries. The latter are great fighters. I saw some awful sights. "One of the boys" got shot in the back.

We are all anxious for Italy to declare war, as it is thought it will be the turning point, and may  be the means of peace also.  Wounded French and British,  who are sent out here for their health, those who were in the terrible retreat from Mons, have joined us here, and they say that our fight here is worse than the retreat from Mons. Sir Ian Hamilton sent word along the firing line to say that the Empire  was proud of the Australian troops and all the 7th Battalion.  I do not think there are many of the 7th left. Some of our chaps are anxious to get back to the firing line.

We are told that we are to have a good spell (after we  leave here), in what they call the convalescent camp, right on the edge of the water. We have here Australian nurses, and they are very good to us; also the British Tommies wait hand and foot on us.  We have had ladies here - visitors who brought us afternoon tea. We get the very best of meals, and for supper we get cocoa and bread and butter at 8 p.m. A lot of our wounded are to be sent to England for a trip.  A lot went down to the boats last night and another lot go today. I have the bullet in my pocket that hit me, and it is a good souvenir of the war. I hope I have the luck to dodge the next. 

We hear here that the people in Australia went nearly mad with delight

when they saw the cables. Little do they know the cost of lives.  It was awful and heart-rending. We had two Turkish prisoners on our boat coming back.One was shot in both legs and the other (an officer) was bayoneted right through the back. He was in terrible agony.  One of our Australian buglers had his tongue cut out by the Turks when we retreated bank a little for our own advantage.

The Turks run their bayonets through our wounded.  Lieut _____  (of Moonee Ponds) shot a German officer, and the last I heard of him he was doing great work in the firing line.

The marriage of Gunner V. C. M. Ryan (recently returned from Gallipoli), third eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest George Ryan, of 422 Ascot Vale road, Moonee Ponds, to Miss Grace Lupton, Tatura, will be quietly  celebrated at the residence of his parents, by the Rev. T. S. B. Woodfull, on Wednesday, 24th November.

SOCIAL BREVITIES. (1915, November 18). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74590877

Private Carlyle Ormond Ryan (2751), fourth son of Mr. and Mrs Ernest G. Ryan, of 422 Ascot Vale rd., Moonee Ponds, has been reported wounded (shell shock). Sergeant V.C.M. Ryan, who fought at Gallipoli and was at the landing, and who subsequently was invalided home to Australia, is an elder brother of the above-named.

Advertising. (1918, January 4). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74604693

Motor Car Accident.   Sgt. Vernon Ryan, of the recruiting staff at Moonee  Ponds Town Hall, has sustained injuries to the lungs and kidneys, owing to compression of the ribs. The injuries were received in the recent accident as reported in our last issue, when Sgt. Ryan and several others were pinned underneath a car at Pakenham.

Motor Car Accident. (1918, January 10). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2 Edition: Morning. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74604803