Patrick Leonard Ryan was born in Colac on 11 September 1916 and educated at St Brendan's College, Coragulac.  He joined the Postmaster General's Department, Melbourne as a clerk on 8 May 1934, a post he held until 1941 when he joined the AIF. 

After the war, from 25 October 1945 to 29 May 1947, Ryan was a clerk in the Papua New Guinea Section of the Department of External Territories.  He then moved to the Immigration Section of the Department until 12 August 1948 when he was transferred to the International Conventions Section.  Ryan's final post in the Department of External Territories was as a clerk in the Territorial Administrative Branch.  He remained in this post when the Department changed to Department of Territories on 11 May 1951 and was Administrative Officer in the General Services Branch of that Department on 8 May 1952, then Administrative Assistant in the Administrative Division.
 
On 12 September 1957 Ryan was officer-in-charge of the Civic Affairs and General Services Branch of the Department of Territories in Canberra.  He was also, during this period acting Administrator of Norfolk Island during 1961 and Administrative Official with the South Pacific Commission, Noumea from 1962-1964.  On 3 June 1965 Ryan was promoted in the Department of Territories to Senior Investigation Officer with the Government and Justice Section and by 1967 he was Official Representative in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.  It appears that he held this post until his retirement on the grounds of ill-health on 10 July 1969.
 
As at 1989 Ryan was living in Queensland.
 

Publications

Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese Monthly 1958-1962
South Pacific Bulletin Editor 1963