RYAN, Worthy Reginald

NAME                          RYAN      Worthy Reginald
RANK                           Signalman      A/604819
SERVICE BRANCH     Royal Canadian Corp of Signals
                                     “swift, skilled, alert”
                                     No. 3 Signals Company.                                                                                              Residence                    Goderich - Ontario                                                                                                                Birth                              May 7, 1919 - Goderich - County of Huron - Ontario                                                          Death                            August 20, 1944          25 years   3 months                                                                    Cemetery:                    St. John’s Mount Pleasant Cemetery - St. John's - Newfoundland
                                      A   3   E
Parents:                       Mr. George and Mary Ryan - Goderich
Brother:                        Eugene of Goderich                                                                                                        Sisters:                        Georgina of Goderich                                                                                                                                                   Mrs. Lillian Culbert of Goderich

The Ryan family lived at 57 Britannia Road West and this was where "Reggie" was born on May 7, 1919 and
raised. He had taken his primary education at Goderich Public School and two years of High School at Goderich Collegiate and left school at 17 years of age. The family business was the feed mill at the corner of Newgate and Hamilton Streets. He had worked in a poultry market in Goderich for a year before moving over to Ryan's Produce Market where he worked for four years. Growing up he enjoyed carpentry, swimming, skating and going to dances. He also enjoyed playing the violin. It is possible the family attended Victoria Street United Church.

Canada

Reggie went to London on September 3, 1943 and enlisted into the Canadian Army. Upon his enlistment he was 5' 8" and weighed 132 pounds. He had blue eyes and black hair. He was Taken on Service at No. 1 Clearing Depot  Two weeks later he was posted to No. 7 Canadian Signals Training Centre in Barriefield - Ontario and here he received the rank of Signalman. On December 1st he was confined to barracks for 7 days because he entered the gas and oil building other than through the main door. He was granted leave beginning on December 29th. During the year he had had taken rifle training, Bren gun training and Sten gun training.                                Signalman Ryan returned from leave on January 2, 1944. The next day he received the daily rate of pay of $1.40. On April 5th he qualified as an Operator of Wireless and Line   Group "C". He receives furlough from April 13-26 and is called back to duty two days early and immediately was posted to the Coastal Defence Anti Aircraft Reinforcement Camp at Bedford - Nova Scotia. At the beginning of March his daily rate of pay increases to $1.50. On May 19th he was then posted to "W" Force which was the unit defending Newfoundland. He would have trained in a building adjacent to Southside Barracks in St. John's and he quite possibly worked at the radio station situated in Mount Pearl.                                                                                                                          While stationed in St. John's he had met a young lady of 20 years and her name was Muriel Purchase and it was she who took "Reggie" to meet her family and have a picnic. The Purchase family lived on Long's Hill Road in St.John’s and on August 20th they all went to the shores of Freshwater Bay and to get there they took a motor boat from Bowring's Wharf to the picnic site. Signalman Ryan was on a pass. During the picnic Stanley Purchase who was fourteen – and a non -swimmer – was on a makeshift raft and fell off and immediately sank from sight. His older sister Muriel who was twenty went into the water to help him but she ran into difficulty. Now both of them were in serious trouble. It is said that Worthy went into the water in full uniform and was able to reach both children. He was not at all a strong swimmer. He got them separated and on their way back to shore. "Reggie" began to follow them back to shore and they were aware of him following them. When they looked again to check he had slipped beneath the waves and lost his life. He died at approximately 2;15 pm. During the Board of Inquiry Signalman Ryan was commended for his saving two lives.
The Signal Corp was responsible for all communications and transmitted information in a variety of ways
using radios, telephones, signal flags, and morse code. They also monitored enemy transmissions and
assisted in elaborate deceptions.

In March 1945 his mother Mary received the Memorial Cross which was followed in April 1950 the family was awarded the War Medal.

He is honoured and remembered on the Goderich - Ontario Cenotaph. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaques of Goderich High School and North Street United Church. Reggie is also honoured and remembered in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Book of Remembrance and on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.