William Currey

He charged enemy guns and crossed a deadly battlefield alone

William Matthew Currey was born at Wallsend, New South Wales, on 19 September 1895. Educated at Dudley and Plattsburg public schools, he moved to Sydney and worked as a wireworker. He tried more than once to enlist before his parents would consent, giving an incorrect age, but these early attempts ended in discharge. After further medical difficulties and remedial treatment, he was accepted into the Australian Imperial Force in October 1916.

Currey embarked with a trench-mortar unit before transferring to the 53rd Battalion. He joined it in France in July 1917 and fought at Polygon Wood. By the following year he was part of the Australian advance that drove the Germans back toward Péronne and Mont St Quentin.

On 1 September 1918, a field gun firing at close range caused severe casualties to his company. Currey rushed forward through machine-gun fire, killed the crew and captured the weapon. Later he worked around another strongpoint, fired his Lewis gun into it and then attacked, allowing the battalion to continue.

The Victoria Cross notice of December 1918 also describes his work during the following night. An isolated company had to be warned to withdraw. Currey crossed the shell-swept ground repeatedly, exposing himself by calling to the men until he located them. Bullets damaged his respirator and he was gassed, but he delivered the message and returned with useful information. The citation thus links offensive initiative with the dangerous effort to prevent comrades being cut off (official award history: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C339982).

After hospital treatment, Currey returned to Australia in 1919 and was medically discharged. He joined the New South Wales railways and married Emma Davies in 1920. His public service continued through the citizen forces and, during the Second World War, the Australian Instructional Corps. He attained warrant officer in the militia.

Currey became active in the Labor Party and won Kogarah in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1941, the first Victoria Cross recipient elected to that parliament. Re-elected twice, he particularly advocated for returned servicemen. He collapsed in Parliament House in April 1948 and died on 30 April, leaving his wife and two daughters. His military service and his subsequent political work formed one continuous commitment to the welfare of other soldiers.