Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Our Hero!
As shots were ringing out across Asia and Europe, a young man of 20 years from Bathurst, NSW, was thinking about doing his part for his country. Cecil John Ryan, or affectionally known simply as ‘CJ’ enlisted on the 11th June 1941, not knowing how much his life will change in 18 long months.
The Malaya Campaign started on the 8th December 1941 where Australia suffered a 73% loss of those killed in action. Mayala was where CJ entered the war with the 2/18th BN. He never really spoke about his time in war, only about his mates. Mates were a very important part of his war memories. Doing research on the Mayala Campaign made me realise how hard it would have been with so much loss and no gain. They were never able to hold positions against the Japanese armies and most Australian soldiers had to surrender and were then taken as Prisoner of War.
Along the beaches many Australian soldiers lay dead or dying. One soldier was that young fella from Bathurst, CJ. He lay there dying from his wounds, living on puddle water, with his ripped off dog tags hidden on his body. I can only imagine the sight as Japanese soldiers walked the beaches looking for soldiers who were alive, when they stumbled across CJ with no dog tags, bleeding and looking like death. They continued walking.
CJ was found, taken to medical hospitals and finally sent back to Sydney where he was given only 6 months to live. His wounds were extensive. Part of his lung was removed and what was left had a bullet left inside, doctors too worried to remove it. The scars left behind went beyond skin deep. As his family prepared to say goodbye, CJ had other plans and showed everyone what he was truly made of. He went on to become a husband, a father and a grandfather. Living and raising his family in Bathurst to then live out his days with family in Temora. This was well beyond the 6 months left to live back in 1942!
Growing up, ANZAC Day and stories of my Great-Grandfather were important conversations within our family. The sacrifices Poppy CJ made, the resilience he showed, and his heroism have always been a true inspiration for me and my mum. I may not have had the privilege to meet him, but he has always been the cornerstone of our family.
ANZAC Day holds a special part of our life. It is a day where we remember my Great-Grandfather and the mates he had to leave behind on those beaches. My hope for the future is for myself and my sisters to live life to the fullest and to always hold onto the beliefs of CJ. We will remember what is important, remember the sacrifices made by our heroes like CJ and as Poppy CJ always said, “You are a long time dead”. So, get out there, make memories, live your dreams and above all have that ANZAC spirit.