Arthur William (Curry) Currie GCMG KCB (1875 - 1933)

Born 5 Dec 1875 in Strathroy, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Lucy Sophia (Chaworth-Musters) Currie — married 14 Aug 1901 (to 1933) in British Columbia, Canada

Died 30 Nov 1933 at age 57 in Montréal, Québec, Canada

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Biography

Lieutenant-General Arthur (Curry) Currie GCMG KCB served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War I
Service started: 29 Sep 1914
Unit(s): Canadian Corps
Service ended: 11 Nov 1918

Arthur (Curry) Currie GCMG KCB is Notable.

He grew up on a farm near Napperton, Adelaide Township, Middlesex County, Ontario close to present day Strathroy. He was the third of the eight children of William Curry and Jane Patterson. As a young man, he worked as a teacher and insurance agent in Victoria, British Columbia, where he met and married Lucy Sophia Chaworth-Musters in 1901. They had a son and two daughters, one of whom died as an infant.

He joined the 5th Regiment, Canadian Garrison Artillery in 1894. Rising through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel, he was offered command of the formed 50th Regiment, Gordon Highlanders in 1913. At the start of World War I, he was given command of a battalion in the first Canadian contingent in 1914, to assist Britain in Europe.

He advanced steadily, winning distinction at the battles of Ypres, Saint-Julien in Belgium and at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. On June 9, 1917, he was promoted to Lieutenant General, and became the Commander of the four divisions Canadian Corps. He led troops at Passchendaele. Currie is best known for his planning and leadership during the Hundred Days Campaign (8 August–11 November 1918), the most successful of all Allied offensives, which led to the defeat of Germany and the end of the war. Under Currie’s leadership, Canadian soldiers won several important victories, including the battles of Amiens, Cambrai, Valenciennes and Mons.

After the war he served as inspector general of the Canadian Militia and was Knighted in 1918.

Currie in his office at McGill

In England, he was inducted into the Knights Grand Cross of the the Order of St Michael and St George and Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath by King George. In 1920, he accepted the position of principal and vice chancellor of McGill University, Montreal, and retained this post until his death in 1933.

There is a large memorial at his grave at Cimetière Mont-Royal in Montreal.

Sources

• Tim Cook, “CURRIE, Sir ARTHUR WILLIAM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed November 7, 2018, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/currie_arthur_william_16E.html.
• Wikipedia contributors. Arthur Currie [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; 2018 Nov 2, 15:04 UTC [cited 2018 Nov 7]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Currie&oldid=866937226.
• Canadian Encyclopedia
• Canadian War Museum, Canada and the First World War, Sir Arthur Currie
• "Canada Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVDV-2BS : 2 March 2021), Arthur Curry in household of Wm. G. Curry, Adelaide, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada; from "1881 Canadian Census." Database with images. Ancestry. (www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing Wm. G. Curry, citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
• "Canada Census, 1891," database, FamilySearch [1] : 3 August 2016), Arthur W Currey, Adelaide, Middlesex West, Ontario, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148155.
• Family Search ID# KH9V-J79
• "British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932; 1937-1938," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD8H-BF9 : 11 March 2018), Arthur William Currie and Lucy Sophia Chaworth Musters, 14 Aug 1901; citing Leven Fifeshire, British Columbia, Canada, British Columbia Archives film number B11368, Vital Statistics Agency, Victoria; FHL microfilm 1,983,525.
• "British Newspaper Archives, Obituaries," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS7G-F9BT-V?cc=2562508&wc=7MWX-TDP%3A1590283419%2C1590330946%2C1590330959%2C1590338347%2C1590284305 : 23 December 2017), England > Gloucestershire > Cheltenham > Gloucestershire Echo > 30 Nov 1933 > image 1 of 3; records extracted by FindMyPast and images digitized by FamilySearch. The British Library, London.