The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Corporal Walter Buchannan Currie, Third South Australian Bushmen Contingent, Boer War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Gerard Pratt, the story for this day was on Corporal Walter Buchannan Currie, Third South Australian Bushmen Contingent, Boer War.

Corporal Walter Buchannan Currie, Third South Australian Bushmen Contingent
KIA 3 February 1901
Story delivered 29 August 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Corporal Walter Currie.

Walter Currie was born in Adelaide on 17 May 1870. He was the third son of James and Janet Currie, early colonists of South Australia. While much of his early life is unknown, it seems he spent a considerable period of 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 as the British were conducting a counter-offensive against the Boers which resulted in the capture of most of the major towns and cities of South Africa. But the Boers gradually changed their tactics and began to conduct guerrilla warfare against the British and Australian forces.

Corporal Currie proved to be an able soldier, and was reported to have 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 force that was 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 who were concealed only 30 yards from their position. 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.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among 605 Australians who lost their lives in the Boer War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Corporal Walter Currie, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section