Photograph of Jeremiah Ryan; postcard of battleship; certificate of discharge; official details of his service record. || This the story of Able Seaman Jeremiah Ryan, contributed by his grandson Johnny Donnelly. Jeremiah Ryan was born in Dublin in 1892, and joined the Royal Navy in 1910. He saw action during WWI on HMS Vivid, Zealandia, Arrogant and Pactolus amongst others, and was invalided out of the navy in 1922.

Military Cross and Campaign Medals for Lt Robert John Liddle

Jeremiah Francis Aherne, (11 Feb 1889–26 May 1973), who was from Church Street, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, served in France and Greece during World War I with the Royal Engineers. His service number was 19730. He was attested as a sapper on 3 January 1910 in the trade of carpenter in the Royal Engineers. He served at home from 1910 to 1914, in Bermuda from January to October 1914 and then in France in 17 Field Company and then the 32nd Railway Operating Company from 20 November 1914 until July 1918 when he returned home from Salonika as he had applied and been recommended for a commission. Jeremiah was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Silver War Badge. By the end of the War he was an acting Corporal. Having started his Officer training in Fermoy, Cork, he was told that commissions were being suspended because the War was over. All cadets were offered the choice of returning to their units or continuing training, but they would be discharged immediately on commissioning and would not receive any uniform allowance or pay as an Officer. Jeremiah chose the latter option and was appointed to a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Munster Fusiliers on 5 March 1919 and immediately discharged to the Reserve. He appears in the Army List of 1 March 1920 with the Munsters but not afterwards. At the outbreak of WWII Jeremiah Aherne returned to military service. Between October 1939 and 11 September 1944 he served with 62 Coy, 128 Coy and 832 Coy of the Auxilliary Pioneer Corps largely in Scotland. The records of the Royal Pioneer Corps (as it now is) show Jeremiah with 68 Coy from October 1939 to August 1940, with 128 Coy from August 1940 until January 1941, then with 68 Coy again, firstly as a Captain (Second in Command), later promoted Major and Officer Commanding, then with 832 Coy in August 1942 as Officer Commanding until 11 Sep 1944 when he was posted to the Unemployed List of Officers. His Auxilliary Pioneer Corps service number was 45532. || Jeremiah Aherne's service medals. L-R: World War I Victory Medal, 1914 Star, 1939-45 Service Medal