Source: Per post by family member at Canadian Military Photos Lost and Found – Research Group.
Family Search: When Private Peter Ryan was born on 10 September 1885, in Denton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, his father, Charles Ryan, was 37 and his mother, Agnes Twidley, was 35. He married Mary Elizabeth Chatterton on 27 October 1906, in St Francis’ Church, Gorton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Glossop, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom in 1891. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1916, at the age of 31, his occupation is listed as janitor. He died on 10 May 1967, in Blenheim, Kent, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 81, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Blenheim, Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada.
Enlisted with the 91st Battalion at St. Thomas, Ontario on 24 January 1916. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Ryan resident at Blenheim, Ontario. He was a janitor and stood 5’7″ tall. He was of the Roman Catholic faith and claimed prior military experience having indicated 11 years with the Territorials. He also had 1 year experience with the local Canadian Militia unit, the 24th Kents.
He has two children, a boy, Harold Samuel Ryan, 4 years old and a girl, Kathleen Ryan, 6 years old. He is insured by the Royal Liverpool Company and he assigns $20.00 of his monthly pay to his wife, later to be raised to $25.00.
Upon enlistment he was transferred to the 186th Battalion effective 22 February, 1916. May men of the 91st helped to bolster the ranks of the 186th Battalion so it could complete its complement of soldiers so it could be sent to England for training. Most battalions of this time hoped to be kept together and fight with one of the 4 Canadian Divisions that made up the Canadian Corps.
His prior military service singled him out for consideration as a sergeant and he attened a school in London, Ontario in May 1916 and returned June from school and was made a Provisional or Provost Sergeant effective 30 June 1916.
The 186th embarked for Liverpool on 25, March 1917 and arrived there on 7 April 1918. He was sent to a segregation camp at Bramshott that day and was transferred to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion. By 15 May 1917 he was appointed a Acting Corporal with pay and then was assigned to the Battalion for Young Soldiers at Bexhill on 3 September 1917 and is to be an Acting Sergeant with pay. He his promoted to an Acting Company Sergeant Major on 10 October 1917.
From his point he is reverted to lower ranks in preparation for being sent for active service with a line battalion.
On 24 July 1918 he reverts to the rank of Private and 2-months later is sent to the Canadian Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, France. He then is sent to the next stage of training and preparation for combat duty when he was sent ot the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on 1 November 1918.
The next day, 10 days before the Armistice, he is sent for service with the 18th Battalion.
He serves with the 18th from that day until it is officially disbanded at London, Ontario on 24 May 1919. He was with the 18th from November 1918 to May 1919. He is discharged in London due to demobilization.
13 February 1922 an address update card showed his address as P.O. Box 180. Blenheim, Ontario.
He passes on 10 May 1967 and is buried at Evergreen Cemetery at Blenheim, Ontario.
Legionnaire dies at 82
Peter Ryan, Sr., founding member
BLENHEIM — Peter Ryan, Sr., 82, first president and life member of the Royal Canadian Legion here, and for 37 years operator of his own gasoline station for the Shell Oil Company, died Tuesday in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chatham.
Mr. Ryan served with the Manchester Regiment (Territorials) for 11 years before coming to Canada in 1912, and with the Kent 186th Battalion overseas during the First World War.
During the Second World War, he was sergeant major of the Kent Regiment and he helped organize Branch 185, Royal Canadian Legion, here.
A life member of the Moose Lodge, Mr. Ryan also served nine years on Blenheim town council.
With his wife, the former Mary Chatterton, he celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary last year.
Survivors besides his wife include: two daughters, Mrs. Kathleen Baldwin and Mrs. William (Marie) McNear, Blenheim; two sons, Sam of Chatham and D. Peter Ryan of Erie Beach; 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
The Legion will hold a memorial service in the J.L. Ford Funeral Home this evening at 8 o’clock and the Moose Lodge will do so Thursday evening.
Requiem high mass will be sung Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Mary’s Church with Rev. Bernard officiating.
Pallbearers will be T. Howard James, Ernest Bechard, Arthur Wood, John Fleming, Roy Warwick and Dr. A.S. Huffman. Honorary pallbearers will be Col. P.K. Morley, Col. E.M. Ansell, Dan Lilley of Chatham; Sam Scott, Harry Laird and George Whittington of Blenheim.
Alphonse Dewitte will be organist and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
The Windsor Star
Wed, May 03, 1967 ·Page 2
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 