Journalist Ryall of Ryde Travels Far

In January 1916 the world wasn’t even half way through the Great War and such horrors as The Somme and Ypres were yet to come but young Herbert Henry Ryall of Ryde was seen to be doing his patriotic duty.

Isle of Wight County Press 22 January 1916

Returns from China to join up – Mr. H. H. Ryall, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Ryall, of Melrose, Well-street, Ryde, on completing a three years’ journalistic engagement in China, has patriotically returned home and joined up as a trooper in the 1st King Edward’s Horse, now training at the Curragh. His employers were sorry to part with him, but they hope, as he does, that circumstances will permit his return after the war is over. He had a very exciting journey across Siberia, Russia, Sweden and Norway, where the Customs authorities searched him most thoroughly. Dr. Cook, the well-known Arctic explorer, was a passenger on the Trans-Siberian Railway at the same time. Trooper Ryall is an old Sandown Secondary-school boy, and was for some time engaged in journalistic work at Ryde prior to proceeding to China.

Fortunately Herbert survived and within a short time had emigrated to Australia.

Isle of Wight County Press 13 February 1926

Herbert Henry Ryall, J.P. of Ryde, son of T. Ryall, was appointed Private Secretary to the former Australian Prime Minister William Morris Hughes.

Billy Hughes 1919

Sources: Isle of Wight County Press

Picture sources: Badge of Ist King Edward’s Horse – post on Great War Forum; Billy Hughes, Australian P.M. from Wikipedia