THE SOLDIER WHO SERVED UNDER THREE FLAGS
By Brian Comerford
Copyright 2011 Brian Comerford
Smashwords Edition
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Mention of the soldier who served under three flags recalls the Finnish war hero, Larry Thorne, who was portrayed by John Wayne in the film “The Green Beret”.
West Clare, in Ireland, has a resident who also served under three flags. Kilrush based Clem Ryan (84) served in the Irish, British and US forces in an Army career stretching from 1944 to 1973.
Two events occurred within 24 hours of one another in June 1944 that changed Ryan’s life forever. The Limerick City native entered Limerick’s O’Connell Street by other than his usual route and met an acquaintance who invited Ryan to meet him that night at Limerick’s Temperance Hall, but without saying for what reason. The following day Ryan found himself parading in Kilrush, County Clare, in the uniform of the Southern Command of the Irish Maritime Inscription Service. He was also smitten by his first sight of Kilrush native Noreen Honan and he summoned up the courage to approach her mother, in order to request permission to speak to Noreen, whom he later married in London.