William Currey

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William Currey
Currey c. 1918
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Kogarah
In office
10 May 1941 – 30 April 1948
Preceded byJames Ross
Succeeded byDouglas Cross
Personal details
Born(1895-09-19)19 September 1895
Second World War
AwardsVictoria Cross

William Matthew Currey,

First World War
.

After the war, Currey worked as a labourer and railway worker before entering the

Labor Party representative for the seat of Kogarah
, which he held between 1941 and his death in 1948.

Early life

Born in

First World War, having attempted unsuccessfully several times before, being rejected as under-aged. After being accepted, Currey was eventually sent to the Western Front in Europe, where he initially served the 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery,[3] before being posted in July 1917 to the 53rd Battalion – an infantry battalion that had been recruited primarily from New South Wales – as a reinforcement.[4] In late 1917, Currey fought with the battalion during the Battle of Polygon Wood.[5]

Victoria Cross

In September 1918, during the final Allied offensive of the war – the Hundred Days Offensive – Currey was one of eight Australians awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions during the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin.[6]

On 1 September 1918 in the attack on

London Gazette of 14 December 1918 concluded that his behaviour was a "striking example of coolness, determination and utter disregard of danger... and his gallant work contributed largely to the success of the operation."[7][8]

The Australian official war historian, Charles Bean, described the final act of Currey's heroism thusly: "At 3 am when efforts to reach (a Lt Waite in an advanced position) having failed Private Currey volunteered to make his third attempt and going out far into the disputed front he stood up and called with all his lung power. "Waitsy! Get in." The Germans turned on him every weapon they had; he was gassed and his respirator was shot through. But Waite had heard him and returned."[8]

Later life

Currey was discharged from the AIF in 1919, and took up employment as a storeman, working for the Railways Department in New South Wales, remaining in the role until 1941. On 10 April 1920, he married Emmie Davies at St Saviour's Anglican Church, in

Second World War he served in the Australian Instructional Corps as a sergeant in a training role between 1940 and 1941 before being discharged.[5][9]

In 1941, he ceased working for the Railways, and successfully stood for election as the

Labor Party member for Kogarah in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.[2] He was the only Victoria Cross recipient to sit in the New South Wales parliament and was re-elected twice: in 1944 and 1947. In late April 1948, while in parliament, he collapsed and three days later, on 30 April 1948, he died at Bexley, New South Wales, from coronary-vascular disease.[4][5] His funeral was held at St Stephen's Presbyterian church in Macquarie Street, Sydney,[2] after which he was cremated and his ashes were interred at Woronora Cemetery.[10]

Remembrances

Currey's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia.[11] Following a public appeal in 1956 a plaque was erected in memory of Currey in the Speakers Square within the New South Wales Parliament complex. During renovations in the 1970s the plaque was put into storage for safekeeping and was only rediscovered and restored to its place in 2008.[4][12]

In 1976, the Jeffries and Currey Memorial Library was opened by the

Sir Roden Cutler, at Dudley Public School to honour two of the school's pupils who were decorated with the Victoria Cross during the First World War: Clarence Jeffries and William Currey.[13] The pair are also commemorated by the Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall located in the grounds of Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, which was unveiled in an official ceremony on 16 April 2000.[14]

References

  1. ^ "William Mathew Currey – Discovering Anzacs". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "Mr William Matthew Currey VC (1895–1948)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Private William Matthew Currey VC". People profiles. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-1-921941962
    .
  5. ^
    OCLC 70677943
    . Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  6. ISBN 978-0-642278326
    .
  7. ^ "No. 31067". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 1918. p. 14779.
  8. ^ a b McGirr, James (12 May 1948). "Death of W. M. Currey Esq., VC, M.L.A.". Hansard of the Legislative Assembly, Parliament of NSW: 3129.
  9. ^ "Currey, William Matthew". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  10. ^ "William Matthew Currey". Find A Grave. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  12. ^ Aqulina, John (11 November 2008). "Remembrance Day: William Matthew Currey, VC, Commemorative Plaque". Hansard of the Legislative Assembly, Parliament of NSW: 11122. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  13. ^ "Jeffries and Currey Memorial Library". Register of War Memorials in New South Wales. New South Wales Government & Returned and Services League of Australia (New South Wales Branch). Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
  14. ^ "The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall". Register of War Memorials in New South Wales. New South Wales Government & Returned and Services League of Australia (New South Wales Branch). Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2008.

External links

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Kogarah
1941–1948 		Succeeded by
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