Peter Ryan B.127866
BRANCH OF FORCES: Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
DATE AND LOCATION OF BIRTH: June 29, 1920 - Hilltown, Ireland
CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION: Peter came to Canada with his parents (Elizabeth and James Ryan) and 6 siblings at the age of 10. They went by boat to Montreal, then by train to Union Station in Toronto. He attended a separate school, and I am not sure if he attended high school.
PRE-ENLISTMENT EMPLOYMENT - WHAT/WHERE: Peter worked in Toronto at St. Joseph's Hospital from 1938-1939.
He left there to go to John Inglis on Strachan Avenue, where they made rifles and machine guns (1940).
O'Keefe Brewery at Dundas and McCall. Also known as Canada Budd Brewery (1941). He left there because they used to get laid off every year in January.
He then went to work with his brother at CN Express, then to Dominion Bridge.
ENLISTMENT DATE AND LOCATION: Peter entered his training in September 1942. He slept in a stall at the Horse Coliseum at Exhibition Place. He was there until October 19, 1942, when he left by train for Terrace B.C. Peter was in the Royal Canadian Medical Corps.
EMBARKATION: Peter was in Port Alberni for 1 year and then Courtney, B.C. He left Terrace B.C. in 1944 to go overseas. He stopped in Toronto for a 2 week leave and then went via train from Union Station to Halifax where he boarded a ship. They stayed in Halifax an extra night because there were submarines in the area. Their boat was escorted by a mothership to Liverpool, England, and then on to Whitley. From there Peter went to the Roman Way Convalescent Hospital in Colchester. Colchester was a garrison town which meant there were always soldiers there, even between wars. The wounded Canadians, all ranks, were treated there. Peter did things like putting on casts and taking them off. Peter then went to Bramshott, which was a general hospital for men coming home to Canada. Peter was with the Canadian Regimental Police at the gates to the hospital. At Bramshott, he was at the gate 2 hours on and 4 hours off. He also drove around to make sure the huts were blacked out properly for the nighttime raids. Peter left Bramshott after all the wounded went home.
DISEMBARKATION DATE AND LOCATION: Peter returned to Canada in 1946.
BATTLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES DURING CONFLICT: Peter served in the Medical Corps.
AWARDS AND MEDALS:
Defense Medal
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
Clasp to the CVSM
War Medal 1939 - 1945
OCCUPATIONS AFTER CONFLICT AND LOCATIONS: Peter worked at Christie Street Veterans Hospital, Toronto, as an orderly. He also worked in Lambert Lodge, which was a nursing home for veterans. Sunnybrook Hospital, on Bayview, was being built because Lambert Lodge was quickly filling up with veterans. Peter helped move the veterans to Sunnybrook Veterans and in fact he could have worked there, but it was too far to commute. Ironically Sunnybrook Veterans was the last place that Peter called home - living there for the last 5 years of his life. Peter passed away at the age of 93 on August 23, 2013.
MARRIAGE: Peter married Mary Gloria Windsor on August 10, 1946, in Toronto.
CHILDREN: There are 6 children, 4 girls and 2 boys. In February 1959, the family moved from Toronto to a 50-acre farm in Uxbridge. Peter was able to buy the farm through the VLA. He worked as an orderly at Newmarket Hospital for approximately 1 year. He left there mainly because the winter driving was terrible. He applied for a custodian position at St. John's Training School in Uxbridge, which was so close to home. He worked there for approximately 31 years when he retired in his 70's. He was very happy he didn't have to retire at 65 because he really enjoyed working there.
INTERESTS: Peter enjoyed taking his children to baseball and hockey events, and watching more games too. He enjoyed going to the arena on Friday nights to watch hockey and meeting his friends.
We thank him for his service.
We will remember them.