Henry Ryan was born on 16 November 1919 in Bairnsdale and enlisted on 7 August 1940.

Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1946), Friday 28 September 1945, page 1

TOOK TO BUSH

3 1/2 YEARS IN MALAYAN JUNGLE Bairnsdale Soldier’s Experience

VXI8213 Cpl H.R. Ryan, son of Mr and Mrs. Arthur Ryan, of Bairnsdale is one of three Australian soldiers who have reached Singapore after spend ing three and a half years in the Ma layan jungles with Chinese guerillas. So far as is known only the three men survive of 28 Australians who took to the bush. The other two are VX39035 Lieut. Russell McClure, 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, North Brighton Vic.; and VX39088 Sgt. Arthur Frede rick Shephard, 2/29th Batt., Coburg Victoria. They had to live off the land, their food even including jungle rats.

Harvard/Australian citation

1945 'TOOK TO BUSH', Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1946), 28 September, p. 1. , viewed 16 July 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article268953976