DEMORALISED BY TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 16026, 1 February 1916, Page 3

DEMORALISED BY TRAGEDY

AN OFFICER'S DISMISSAL. One of the most tragic stories of the war (says a special cable despatch published in the ' New York Sun ' from its London correspondent) is revealed in the publication in the 'London Gazette ' of the order dismissing from the service Lieutenant-colonel R. H. Ryan, of the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles. Lieutenant-colonel Ryan was the holder of several war medals, and was formerly an officer in the United States Army. lie had spent nine months in the trenches; and was wounded three times. Ho obtained a short leave of absence to see his mother, who had planned to come from Canada to see betonly son before he was wottnded again, since she believed that a fourth wound would be fatal. The mother sailed from Now York, and the lieutenant-colonel left the trenches in France and went to England to greet her. He prepared a royal welcome for his mother, whom ho worshipped, and reserved apartments for her at the Savoy. The mother died aboard the steamer a day before it reached Liverpool, and Lieutenantcolonel Ryan, who met the vessel at Liverpool, received hoi- body. After he had made arrangements for the burial of the body. Ryan, already a nervous wreck owing; to ins harrowing; experiences in the trendies, was completely demoralised by the new tragedy in his life. He went to London unmindful of everything, and disregarded Unorder for his return to the front. The sequel came in the 'Gazette's' announcement that he had been dismissed by court martial.