Herbert Franklin Curnow was born at Kangaroo Flat Victoria on 9 January 1893 to parents Herbert and Janet. A clerk by trade, he enlisted in Melbourne on 30 April 1915 at the age of 22. Curnow departed Melbourne as a second lieutenant with the 22nd Infantry Battalion on 10 May 1915.

Curnow served at Gallipoli with the 22nd Infantry Battalion and during the course of 1915 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and then captain. He was evacuated in early December 1915 due to a septic hand injury. Curnow later re-joined his unit and was sent to the Western Front during March 1916. Herbert Curnow was 23 years old when he was killed in action at Pozieres on 5 August 1916 and he is buried at Courcelette British Cemetery, France.