RYRIE, Harold Stewart
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 October 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 6th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, 23 March 1878 |
| Home Town: | Cooma, Cooma-Monaro, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Grazier |
| Died: | Gunshot wound to the head, New South Wales, 10 December 1919, aged 41 years |
| Cemetery: |
Waverley Cemetery, Bronte, New South Wales |
| Memorials: | Cooma St. Paul's Anglican Church Major Harold Ryrie Memorial Plaque, Trundle WWI Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 6th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 1914: | Involvement 6th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Dec 1914: | Embarked 6th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Suevic, Sydney | |
| 7 Apr 1918: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order | |
| 23 Oct 1918: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches | |
| 10 Dec 1919: | Involvement Major, 6th Light Horse Regiment, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Major awm_died_date: 1919-12-10 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
The death occurred yesterday morning at No. 4 General Hospital, Randwick, of Major Harold Stewart Ryrie, D.S.O., the youngest son of the late Mr. David Ryrie, of Coolringdon, Cooma. Major Ryrie, who was a cousin of Major-General Sir Granville Ryrie, K.C.M.G., C.B., left for Egypt with the first contingent as lieutenant in the 6th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Brigade), and served with distinction in Gallipoli, Sinai, and Palestine until the month of April, 1918, when he was seriously wounded, and was invalided home in August of the same year.
He was a gallant officer, and was much esteemed by all the men who served with him. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while commanding his squadron during an attack. Although the enemy was in a strong position, with a great number of well-concealed machine guns, and were threatening to envelope his flank, he led his men forward with the utmost courage. Under a terrific gun fire he handled his squadron to the best advantage, and set a splendid example of coolness, until he was himself severely wounded." One of Major Ryrie's brothers, Major O. B. Ryrie, left in the 1st Brigade with the 1st Australian Light Horse, also as lieutenant, and returned as Major about two months ago. Another brother, Lieut. E. A. Ryrie, joined the Imperial forces, and served in France with the R.F.A. Major Ryrie was a bachelor, and is survived by four brothers and four sisters, three of whom are in England, and one (Mrs. Campbell) is in New South Wales. The funeral will take place to-day with military honours, and will leave St. Jude's Church, Randwick, for Waverley Cemetery, at 10am.
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 11 December 1919.
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