Pvt. John Herbert Ryan - Finally at Rest in 2020

 

John Herbert Ryan, the son of William and Ellen (Shay) Ryan,  was born in Lowell on November 24, 1893. His parents died when he was young and he was raised by his extended family, John & Mary Ryan of Lowell and Mrs. Mary Tighe of Brockton. He attended school in Lowell and Brockton.

In Brockton he was an employee of George E. Keith Co., a communicant of St. Margaret's Church and a member of the Boot and Shoemaker's Union.

He enlisted in the US Army May 27, 1917 and sailed to France on the ship FINLAND on the 7th of August 1917. He was a member of the Headquarters Co 1st Engineers 1st Division.

He died in France of meningitis on February 25, 1918. After the war his body was returned for burial in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors on July 28, 1921.

While searching for his burial location several years ago, I noticed that his stone was incorrect. It had the wrong spelling and middle initial. I reported it to the cemetery and last year they replaced it. Even though it's over 100 years later I'm glad his grave is marked correctly. If you visit Arlington National Cemetery he is in Section 18, Grave 2986.

Rest in peace Pvt. John H Ryan. We will never forget. 

Remembering Joseph April

Joseph April's name is on the Doughboy statue in the Acre. This is his story.

Joseph was born April 7, 1897 at St. Clement, Quebec, the son of Isidore and Elise (Boucher). He entered the service June 26, 1918 in the U.S. Army 153d D.B. and transferred July 15, 1918 to Co. H 348 Infantry, 87th Division. He was sent overseas August 26, 1918.

He died of pneumonia October 24, 1918 at Bordeaux, France. His body was returned to the U.S. and he is buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery in East Chelmsford. He was survived by his parents, bother John B. of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, Isidore, Marie, Laura and Rose Anne.

LEST WE FORGET

Remembering Armand V. Alix

Armand V. Alix's name is on the Doughboy statue in the Acre. This is his story:

Armand was born in July 1898 to Mr. and Mrs. Louis (Lottie) Alix in Lowell. He enlisted in Battery F, 102nd Field Artillery of the American Expeditionary Forces at the age of 19. He sailed for France on the SS Finland September 18, 1917.

He was severely wounded in the trenches at Chateau Thierry on July 27, 1918. He left France classified as "Surgical walking requiring no dressing Base Hospital No. 6" on November 26, 1918 and arrived in New Jersey December 11, 1918. He returned to Lowell where he lived with his mother and sister. He was unable to work. He died as the result of his war injuries on November 8, 1921 at the age of 23.

During the last year of his life he did marry Florence Sabourin. She never remarried and lived to the age of 99. They are buried together at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Lowell. A square in his memory is at the intersection of Salem and Adams Street.

LEST WE FORGET

U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939

I recently found on ancestry.com the U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939. What a find! It details the passenger lists of Army personnel traveling to and from France during and after the Great War.

Here is the page listing Irving Loucraft, a private in the Yankee Division (101st Company M), traveling to France aboard the Henry R Mallory on September 7, 1917 from Hobokon, NJ to St. Nazaire, France. Notice how many other Lowell men are traveling with him.

Here is Irving's return, now a Sergeant, destination Camp Devens, on the USS America on April 5, 1919.

This collection also contains the records of the remains of soldiers who were initially buried in France returning in the early 1920s to be re-interred in America. Although sad, these records are helpful to determine if the soldier is buried in France or back here in the United States. It was the  choice of the family if they wanted the remains to come home at the government's expense.

Below is the record of Lieut. Paul T. Kearney who was killed in action October 3, 1918. Initially buried in France, his body was returned on the USAT "Wheaton" leaving Antwerp, Belgium on June 19, 1921 and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on July 2, 1921.   His military funeral was held August 8th at St. Michael's Church and he is buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Lowell. Kearney Square in downtown Lowell is named in his honor.

You can research these records if you have an ancestry subscription or you can visit the Pollard Memorial Library and access ancestry for free.

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