Charles Ryan

Major General Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan, (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1926) was an Australian surgeon and army officer. Early life Ryan was born at Killeen station, Longwood, Victoria, second son of Charles Ryan, an Irish overlander from New South Wales who founded the stock and station firm of Ryan & Hammond, and his wife Marian, daughter of John Cotton, a British poet, ornithological writer and artist, who became an early pastoral settler in Victoria, Australia. Ryan was educated at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, and subsequently at the University of Melbourne, as a student of medicine; afterwards he proceeded to Edinburgh, where he graduated in medicine and surgery, and took the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery. He then travelled on the Continent and studied medicine in France, Austria, and Italy. In Turkey In September 1876, Ryan entered the Turkish service, and was forthwith sent to Nisch, where he was placed in charge of a large hospital during the Serbian war. He was afterwards sent to the Orchanie Balkans in charge of 3000 Turkish soldiers, and from there was ordered to march to Widdin, although still suffering from a severe attack of dysentery. He reached that place in ten days, having nearly died from exhaustion on the road. While in Widdin he was present during nine bombardments. From Widdin he proceeded with Osman Pacha to Plevna, which he gained after marching for three successive days and nights, and was present at the first battle of that memorable conflict, being the only doctor on the field. He was in the Turkish ranks at the great action of 31 July. On 8 September his horse was shot under him, and his attendant killed by his side, while riding into one of the Turkish redoubts, which was about to be attacked by Russian general Michael Skobeleff. At the battle of Gravitza he entered one of the redoubts captured by the Turks from the Russians, and on the Turks, in their turn, being expelled from this redoubt, Dr. Ryan was the last to leave it, which he did leading his horse, on which he had placed two Turkish soldiers whose legs were broken. In this plight he returned to Plevna, a distance of six miles, for the first two miles of which he was exposed to a very heavy fire. He next accompanied the expedition to Loftcha. On 18 October Ryan left Plevna for Constantinople, and was sent to Erzeroum as head of an ambulance. Here he remained four months in charge of a hospital.