Corporal Walter Buchannan Currie, Third South Australian Bushmen Contingent
Australian War MemorialWalter Currie was born in Adelaide on 17 May 1870, third son of James and Janet Currie, early colonists of South Australia. Much of his early life is unknown, though he spent a considerable time in the Birdsville district of Queensland, droving cattle.
In 1900, Currie volunteered for service with the South Australian Bushmens’ Contingent in South Africa, citing 14 years’ bush experience. He was noted to be a good shot and a capable horseman. A farewell party was held at Ware’s Exchange Hotel to bid Currie bon voyage. During the evening “a patriotic programme was carried out” and Currie was presented with a silver-mounted pipe and tobacco pouch.
He arrived in South Africa during the British counter-offensive against the Boers which resulted in the capture of most of the major towns and cities of South Africa. But the Boers changed tactics and began to conduct guerrilla warfare against the British and Australian forces.
Corporal Currie was an able soldier, and engaged in more than 30 skirmishes with the Boer guerrillas.
In September 1900, he participated in an attack on a Boer stronghold near Ottoshoop in the Transvaal. His commanding officer, Captain Samuel Grau Hubbe, lost control of his horse in the hail of rifle fire, and Currie dashed out and got the frightened animal under control. As Hubbe and Currie retired to cover, Captain Hubbe thanked him for his heroic conduct and shook his hand, saying, “you will hear more of this”. However, Hubbe was shot and killed later that day, and Currie was mentioned in despatches for another matter.
In February 1901, Corporal Currie was in a unit patrolling through the hills to the east of Toongs Vryburg. They had been informed that there were no Boers in the area, and were surprised to come under fire from the enemy, concealed only 30 yards away.
Corporal Currie was hit by at least six bullets.
The British general in charge of the 1st Division, Lord Methuen, arranged for Currie to be put into a local house with a hospital orderly to nurse him, but he died later that night.
Methuen later wrote to Currie’s father, saying, “he did not suffer, and told me he did not mind dying for his country … I was anxious to let you know that your son was an exceptionally good man, liked by all.”
Lieutenant Dempsey agreed, writing, “in Corporal Currie we lost a true and gallant soldier, and as brave a man as ever carried a rifle.” Dempsey recorded that they buried him some seven miles from where he was first hit. He wrote, “it is but a rought grave, and time did not allow us to erect a stone to his memory. Still, I hope to see that done ere we leave South Africa, and I am sure the men are of the same mind.”
Currie’s remains were later moved to a military cemetery in Vryburg.
He was 31 years old.
Meleah Hampton, Historian, Military History Section
- Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E3622
