William Matthew Currey
Private, 53rd Battalion (New South Wales) Australian Imperial Force
- Register No.
- 289 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 53rd Battalion (New South Wales) Australian Imperial Force (register: 53rd Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 1 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- : 14th December, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 19th September 1895 at Wallsend, Newcastle, New South
- Died
- 30th April 1948 at New South Wales, Australia
- Memorial / grave
- Woronoro Crematorium, Sydney and the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
- Medal held by
- the Australian War Memorial, Canberra,
Digest of citation
On 1st September, 1918 in the attack on Peronne, France, Private Currey rushed forward under heavy machine-gun fire and captured single handed a 77mm field gun which had been holding up the advance, killing all the crew. Later, when the advance was checked by an enemy strong point he crept round the flank and engaged the post with a Lewis gun, then rushed it, causing many casualties. Subsequently he volunteered to carry orders for withdrawal to an isolated company, doing so under heavy fire and bringing back valuable information
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CURREY, William Matthew. (reg No. 289). . 53rd Battalion (New
South Wales) Australian Imperial Force.
London Gazetted on: 14th December, 1918 VC Medal's Custodian is the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia..
Born on 19th September 1895 at Wallsend, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Died on 30th April 1948 at New South Wales, Australia.
Memorials at Woronoro Crematorium, Sydney and the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 1st September, 1918 in the attack on Peronne, France, Private Currey rushed forward under heavy machine-gun fire and captured single handed a 77mm field gun which had been holding up the advance, killing all the crew. Later, when the advance was checked by an enemy strong point he crept round the flank and engaged the post with a Lewis gun, then rushed it, causing many casualties. Subsequently he volunteered to carry orders for withdrawal to an isolated company, doing so under heavy fire and bringing back valuable information.
Australia..
Wales, Australia.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Woronoro Crematorium, Sydney and the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour William Matthew Currey by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.