Curry, Walter Eyre

Major Walter Eyre Curry, QOR was killed in action on June 9, 1917 while serving with the 3rd Battalion at the Battle of Vimy Ridge

Major Walter Eyre Curry was born February 28, 1891 the only son of James Walter Curry KC, MPP, and Amy Mae (Eyre) Curry, of 26 Queen St. East, Toronto.

He attended Wellesley Public School until aged 12 when he entered Upper Canada College.  There Curry was a Lieutenant in the Upper Canada College Cadets when he graduated in June 1909.

He then served for five years with the 2nd Regiment, Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada also as a Lieutenant.

When he enlisted with the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1914, his attestation papers (see below) were approved by Lieutenant Colonel Rennie and he was appointed Adjutant.

He headed overseas on September 25, 1914 on the RMS Tunisian and after training in England arrived in France April 1, 1915. Curry was in the severe fighting at St. Julien when the 3rd Battalion went to the aid of the 13th Battalion.  A week after the Battle of Festubert, he was sent to Hospital No. 17 at Boulogne with typhoid (despite an earlier innoculation.) He was transferred to several other hospitals before being sent home to Canada.

On April 1, 1916 Curry was declared fit again and reenlisted with 83rd Battalion (QOR) as a Major (see Officer Declaration Paper below). He reverted to Captain in order to rejoin the 3rd Battalion in France in July of 1916.

On April 9, 1917, he was killed instantly during the Battle of Vimy Ridge while leading his company through a German barrage.

He is buried in Ecoivres Military Cemetery (VI. C. 10.), near Mont St. Eloi in Pas de Calais, France (see photo of gravestone below.)

Front of First World War Attestation Paper for Major Walter Eyre Curry
Back of First World War Attestation paper for Major Walter Eyre Curry
Officer Declaration Paper for Major Walter Eyre Curry on his re-enlistment with the 83rd Battalion on April 1, 1916 after having been invalided home with Typhoid fever he received in his first tour of duty in France.
Gravestone of Major Walter Eyre Curry, 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, killed in action during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, June 9, 1917 – Ecoivres Military Cemetery.

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