[Photo from the collection of LCpl. Ryder courtesy of his granddaughter Celyse Barnes].
3772112 George Ryder, born 2nd September 1919 and originally from Walton, enlisted into the King's Regiment T.A. at Liverpool on 14 December 1938. Private Ryder volunteered for Special Service and was selected for No.2 Commando. In 1943 George was re classified as a Signaller in the Signals Section of No. 2 Commando. He served with the Commandos during deployments to Gibraltar, Sicily, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece. After the surrender of Japan No.2 Commando, now back in the UK, was disbanded. George then served for a short period with No. 4 Commando who were in Germany on post war duties until February 1946 when No.4 was itself disbanded.
Total military service - 14 years 6 months + 30 days.
Post war he moved to New Zealand and became a qualified Engineer working on the construction of the Auckland Harbour bridge. He married and they had 3 children.
