Private Thomas Edward "Tommy" Dyer

1874 - 1947  (72 years)

• Name	Thomas Edward "Tommy" Dyer
  Prefix	Private
  Born	23 Apr 1874	Dublin, Dublin, Leinster, Ireland
  Gender	Male
  Birth	False age given when joining World War II
  Birth	23 Apr 1882	, Ireland   [1]
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132526627
  Military	WW2  [1]
  Residence	1947	72 Peter St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-125443P
  Died	26 Feb 1947	London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Buried	Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I125443	Generations
  Last Modified	12 May 2024

  
  

  Father	Robert William Dyer,   b. CA 1860,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Annie Galloway,   b. 30 May 1860, , England ,   d. 1 May 1925, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)
  Family ID	F10458	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Dyer,ThomasEdward-001-Enhanced.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  TOMMY DYER DIED The death of Tommy Dyer, 72, Kitchener veteran of three wars and alternately athlete, soldier and sports director throughout his life, occurred Feb, 25. He served in the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. At one time, he was leading professional boxer and in the recent war he reported his age as 49 and was sent with a picked group of army men to a Quebec military centre where he almost became a commando. He was nearly 70 and First World War shrapnel produced difficulties which sent him to hospital. Kitchener Daily Region Record Mon, Jan 05, 1948 Page 3 _______________ Thomas Dyer Requiem mass for Thomas (Tommy) Dyer, who died at Westminster Hospital, London, yesterday morning, will be offered at St. Joseph's Church Saturday morning at nine o'clock. The remains will be resting at the Schreiter-Sandrock Funeral Home until Saturday morning at 8:30, at which time prayers will be said, prior to service at the church. Interment will be made in the soldiers' plot at Woodland Cemetery. Kitchener Daily Record Thu, Feb 27, 1947 Page 19 __________ Tommy Dyer, well known in the Twin City, who trained the Chicago Shamrocks of the American Hockey League last season, has been signed in the same capacity by the Detroit Falcons of the N.H.L., according to information received today from William White, Tommy's brother-in-law. Dyer was signed by Tom Shaughnessy, president of the Shamrock club who is now one of the officers of the Falcons. Dyer was with the Shamrocks for two years and also was trainer of the Black Hawks for several seasons. Kitchener Daily Record Tue, Sep 27, 1932 Page 7 _____________ ROCKNE'S HELPER DIES. London, Ont., Feb. 26-(AP)- Tommy Dyer, 72, athletic trainer who worked under the late Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, died in Westminster Military Hospital here today. He was the first trainer of the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League and had worked for the Chicago White Sox Baseball Club and the Cleveland Rams football organization. The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, Ohio Thu, Feb 27, 1947 Page 11 ______________ TOMMY DYER IN BRADDOCK CAMP Figures Champion Will Take Brown Bomber at Chicago Tuesday Tommy Dyer, veteran international boxer, British trooper in India Egypt, South Africa and the World War, trainer of major league hockey teama, intimate of many famous old- time fighters and sports characters, and a former resident of Kitchener, has been spending the last few weeks in the camp of Champion Jim Braddock, he announces in a letter to his sister, Mrs. Wm. White, of 55 Pandora avenue, Kitchener. Tommy has all the confidence in the world Braddock will take Joe Louis at Chicago next Tuesday night, and he figures once that chore has been done, the champion will beat Max Schmeling at New York in the fall. He was asked to report to the Morrison Hotel headquarters in a telegram signed by Joe Foley, promoter of the fight. It was delivered to Tommy at the Aurora Race Track. III, on May 17, Tommy sends the original to Mrs. White. Is Writer Now Right now Dyer is engaged in writing articles for a US sport syndicate. His column is headed up "Fifty Years in Sport" In one of these articles enclosed in Tommy's letter to Mrs. White, he unfolds the story of Kid McCoy winning the welterweight title from Tommy Ryan, all because the Kid acted dumb. A sparring partner in Ryan's camp, McCoy was just a blotter when it came to absorbing things. Later on, he begged Tommy, to accept a match with him because he was sick and broke. Tommy, remembering how he could hammer the Kid in the sparring drills agreed. He thought he was helping McCoy get a little change. As Dyer tells it "He was helping him all right, but not the way he had in mind. "Kid McCoy tore him to pieces. Some said he double-crossed Ryan. Others said he outsmarted him. Take your choice. They were both great Fighters." Kitchener Daily Record Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Wed, Jun 16, 1937 Page 12 ________________ TOMMY DYER. who needs no introduction to local sport fans, is to be the boxing instructor. Tommy. a former army boxing champion, in an address to the group which leans toward that department of ring activities, promised to show the boys all he knows about the manly art of self defence. He told them that clean living is one of the primary requisites of a good boxer and went on to say that only through the practice of moderation in all things could they hope to achieve worthwhile results. Lieut. Fred Arnott, chairman of the boxing committee, is assisting Mr. Dyer in the promotion of this activity. Kitchener Daily Record Fri, Oct 28, 1938 Page 8 _______________ Tom Dyer Dead; Was Prominent In World Sport Tommy Dyer. 72. of Kitchener, veteran of three wars and alternately an athlete, soldier, and sports director throughout his life, died today. Death took place at 6:30 a.m. in Westminster Hospital, London. It brought to an end the life of a remarkable man who almost became a commando when he was nearing 70. Tommy was the sole survivor of his family. His sister, the late Mrs. William White of Peter St., with whom he had made his home, died last October. Although his actual age was uncertain, close friends believe he had passed three score and ten years. SERVED IN BOER WAR He served in the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. It was only in recent years that he stood before an enlistment sergeant and reported his age as 49. That would have made him six when he served in the Boer War. But this soldier, trainer of professional athletes and professional boxer, made the grade and proudly found himself in the army again. He was sent to Quebec with other picked army men to take a commando course. This was strictly a course for young men. Shrapnel inside of Tommy produced difficulties and he found himself at Westminster for a major operation. It was in 1893 that he first joined the army. At that time he had finished travelling the world on a sailing ship, and was a promising young boxer. His career in the ring advanced until he fought in the semi-final at the time Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns to capture the world heavyweight title in Australia. He met many top-notch fighters, and in England won the army and navy championship. TRAINED N.H.L. CLUB His knowledge of sports was known throughout Ontario, and he became one of the best-known trainers. In addition to organizing boxing tournaments he trained Chicago Black Hawks of the N.H.L. for many years. He was employed by the Chicago White Sox of the American Baseball League as a trainer. Tommy also knew the great Knute Rockne and served under the famed football coach at the University of Notre Dame. His last professional job was with the Cleveland Rams football team. Horse-racing, too, was a great love and he had worked at most of the major tracks. After he first enlisted, Tommy was on the Indian frontier. Then he fought on the Egyptian Desert and in the South African War. Back in the ranks in 1914 he fought at Gallipoli. It was there he stopped shrapnel which "bothered him" in the Second World War. He was born in Ireland the son of Robert Dyer and Anna Galway. The remains are resting at the Schreiter Sandrock Funeral Home pending funeral arrangements. Kitchener Daily Record Wed, Feb 26, 1947 Page 16 ________________ Sport Slants By Other Writers ABOUT TOMMY DYER (Coleman-Globe and Mail One of Canada's most remarkable soldiers is Tom Dyer, the former trainer of the Chicago Black Hawks, who is stationed in the Canadian Army recruiting centre at London. Ont.. The Army records say that Tommy is only 45, but actually he is 69 years of age... He was born in Dublin on April 23. 1874. Dee Sparr has a grand story in the Chi cago Tribune, telling how Dyer fought with a British cavalry unit on India's Northwest Frontier in 1895. He fought through the Egyptian Campaign of the late 90's and served in the Boer War.... He was serving as a sparring partner for Freddie Welsh on a vaudeville tour when the First Great War broke out in 1914, and he joined up on the second day of the conflict. Subsequently, he transferred from the Imperials to a Canadian unit and was demobilized at London, Ont., in 1919. At one time Tommy was the welterweight champion of Australia, and retired undefeated. He fought in the semi-windup in Sydney when Jack Johnson won the world's heavyweight title from Tommy Burns He was the athletic director aboard S.S. Leviathan when she was one of the great luxury liners on the Atlantic run from New York to Cherbourg. Despite his age, Tommy is complaining bitterly that the Canadian Army won't permit him to join the Commandos. Kitchener Daily Record Tue, Jun 15, 1943 Page 8 ____________ See Ottawa, Says London; Go to London, Says Ottawa Thomas Edward (Tommy) Dyer doesn't know today just whom one must see to get into the army. A veteran of the last war, a prize fighter of renown, a physical in-structor at Aldershot during the first Great War, Mr. Dyer thought there should be a place for him in this scrap. So he paid his own way to London, Ont., a week ago and offered his services. London informed him that he would have to communicate with the department of national defence at Ottawa if he wished to be considered as an applicant for a physical trainer's post. He did. He wrote the department of national defence, and today he has a reply which reads as follows. "Your generous offer, which is greatly appreciated in this department, has been duly recorded. "As all recruiting for the Canadian Active Service Force is under the jurisidiction of the local military authorities, it is suggested that you submit your offer of service to the district officer commanding, Military District No. 1, London, Ontario." "Now I'm back where I started," the would-be soldier said today. Kitchener Daily Record Sat, Apr 06, 1940 Page 3 __________ DAVE DANIEL LOSES TO DYER ON A FOUL. Detroit Dee. 6. An unfortunate hebit of hitting low got Dave Daniel into trouble in his bout with Tommy Dyer at the Vehicle club last night and finally resulted in his being disqualified in the sixth round. There is no doubt that the fouling was entirely unintentional but it happened so often that Referee Duffus finally called a halt and the bout was awarded to Dyer. Dyer would undoubtedly have been given the popular division at that, for he had the local boy clearly outclassed. He gauged Daniel's attack to nicety and was able to step inside the swings which had made Dave the terror of boxers of his class, reeching Daniel's face time and again with stiff jolts which led him going several times. From the start Daniel fouled repeatedly, but Dyer was willing to pass them over, as accidents, but in the sixth round slow swing nearly laid him out and the match was stopped. Daniel has always had a reputation as a clean sportsmen, but it was his long left swing thet got him into trouble. Dave starts his wing way down below his knees, and at long range it generally leads on his opponents jaw. With Dyer, however, it was different. Dyer losed in continually and was generally met by the swing before it started to rise. The two boys weighed in at exactly 150. the weight agreed upon. Dyer had the advantage in height and reach and lost no time in carrying the combat to close quarters. Stepping inside of Daniel's long swings, he beat a tattoo on Dave's face, and at the end of the fourth round had the local boy decidedly groggy so much so, in fact, that Dave missed one of his steam-roller rushes and went flat on his nose. Dyer also showed considerable eleverness in ducking under Dave's swings and attacking from the rear. The Berlin News Record Kitchener, Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Sat, Dec 7, 1912 Page 12 ____________ 'Tommy' Dyer Back in Army Wellknown Trainer Reports at London They say you can't stop an old warhorse once he smells powder, and the same seems to go for Tommy Dyer. For years a familiar figure here [Waterloo Region] wherever there were athletes to be trained. Tommy is back with his old love today-soldiering. He reported for duty at Wolseley Barracks, London, this morning to start in as a full-fledged buck private. Just what he is going to do, he did not know, but it appeared likely he would work at the job he knows best-taking the kinks out! of stiff arms and chasing charlie horses. Anyway, he's in, and he's delighted. Tommy's career as a trainer of athletes has been, for the most part. in the "big time." He trained the Chicago White Sox American Leaque Baseball Club, the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League and several American professional football clubs. He learned a lot at Notre Dame when, as trainer of the school's football team, he was privileged to work with the late Knute Rockne. Tommy once held the welter-weight boxing championship of the British Empire. A few years ago, he instructed a class of young boxers who joined the Scots Fusiliers of Canada. He was in the cavalry in the First Great War. He has service ribbons, but he doesn't wear them. "Hell he says "they used to send them up with the rations" Kitchener Daily Record Mon, Nov 23, 1942 Page 6 _____________ NOW THAT Chicago Black Hawks find themselves in the Stanley Sup finals with Toronto Leafs, they apparently want to have the "old master" around. A wire from Toronto today, over the signature of Bill Tobin and Joe Farrell club officials,. invited Tommy Dyer, former Hawk trainer, to report to the club at Maple Leaf Gardens today. Farrell, incidentally, was former sport editor of the Chicago Times. Kitchener Daily Record Tue, Apr 05, 1938 Page 10 ____________ TOMMY DYER PLANNING RE-ENTRY TO RING Tommy Dyer, well known Kitchener boxer, plans a re-entry to the roped arena and with that in view is leaving for England within two weeks. Tommy refuses to be called a "has" been" tho he is 46 years old and he is confident that he has a lot of fight left in him yet. He has been working out since New Years and is now down to a weight of 135 pounds. Dyer figures there is little coin to be made in boxing in England and after he has garnered a little of it he is willing to retire. The Daily Record, Mon, Apr 17, 1922 ·Page 6

  
  

• Sources

  [S1886] Military - Canada - Second World War Service Files Canadian Armed Forces War Dead. Dyer, Thomas 58 years Birthdate: 1895 Apr 23 Died: 1947 Feb 26 Rank: Private Unit: Veterans Guard of Canada Force: Army Service Number: A105336 Additional Details uncle of Margaret White of Kitchener [S87] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Woodland CC#4510 Internet Link . Thomas E. Dyer/ Sergeant/ C.M.P.C. C.E.F./ 26 Feb. 1947-age 70

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 23 Apr 1874 - Dublin, Dublin, Leinster, Ireland Birth - 23 Apr 1882 - , Ireland Died - 26 Feb 1947 - London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth