Thomas Ryan was born in Dublin in March 1893, the son of John Ryan and Margaret Lawlor and the second youngest of five children. On the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and served with the 8th Battalion, arriving in France on 20 December 1915.Thomas continued his service with the battalion until the 27th of April 1916 when he was killed while a member of D Company at the infamous action at Hulluch. Thomas Ryan was aged 23 at the time of his death and has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. The following are a collection of items sent to his sister Margaret Bradwell. We are grateful to the Ryan family for allowing them to be reproduced here.
16515 Private Thomas Ryan 8th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Photographic postcard showing German prisoners at Frith Hill Camp near Deepcut, Surrey
Postcard sent while the battalion were training at Buttevant, April 1915
Another postcard sent from Buttevant, July 1915
Notification of death sent on behalf of the Regimental Paymaster
Memorial Plaque sent to the family of Thomas Ryan
