Arthur William Currie was a Canadian General who served as the leader of the Canadian Corps during World War I. He also was principal of McGill University from 1920 to 1933.
Background
Arthur Currie was born on December 5, 1875, in Strathroy, Canada. He was the son of William Garner Curry and Jane Patterson. Currie had four sisters and two brothers. He grew up on the homestead of his grandparents, John Corrigan and Jane Garner, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1838.
Education
Arthur Currie attended the local common schools of Strathroy. He also studied at the Strathroy District Collegiate Institute. Currie wanted to pursue a professional career in law or medicine but after the death of his father, he was forced to abandon the idea. He pursued teacher training, however, he was unable to secure a job and returned to high school in order to complete an honors certificate. In May 1894, before his final exams, Currie quarreled with one of his teachers and left high school. He went to British Columbia where he qualified as a teacher.
Arthur Currie started his career as a teacher in 1894 when he moved to British Columbia. He taught in the public schools of Sidney and Victoria for five years. In 1896, he moved to Victoria where he took up a post as a teacher at Boy's Central School. Shortly in the same year, he was appointed as a teacher at Victoria High School where he served until 1900. Currie then became involved with the insurance business. In 1904, he was appointed head of the Matson Insurance Firm. Later, in 1908, Currie and a Victoria businessman, R. A. Power, formed Currie & Power. The firm was a success until 1912 and in 1914, the collapse of the real estate market left him without funds and with considerable debts.
Curry's military career developed simultaneously with his civilian career. He started his military service in 1897 when he joined the 5th Regiment of Canadian Garrison Artillery. He was promoted to captain in November 1901 and then to major in 1906. By 1909, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel. His command was one of the most efficient in Canada, and Currie's personal reputation was high with the minister of militia in Ottawa. As a result, when war broke out in 1914, Currie was offered the command of Military District No. 11 - British Columbia. However, he turned this down and in September 1914 was offered command of the Second Canadian Brigade in the 1st Canadian Division.
After training in England, Currie led his troops to France in February 1915. Very shortly thereafter he and his untried men faced the first German gas attack at Ypres. Currie's brigade lost about half of its strength during the battle. In 1915, he became Commander of the First Canadian Division. In June 1916, Currie's division took part in a well-planned and successful counterattack against German forces at Mount Sorrel. In September, the Canadian Corps arrived at the Battle of the Somme. Currie's 1st Canadian Division suffered heavy losses for little gain. However, the Canadians proved their mettle at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
On June 9, 1917, Arthur Currie became commander of the Canadian Corps. In August 1917, Currie and the Canadian Corps achieved a hard-won victory at Hill 70. In October, they moved north to join the Passchendaele campaign. Currie carefully planned a four-phase attack, which took place from October 26 to November 10. However, these victories had come at a heavy cost. Later, during the Hundred Days Campaign, Currie lead Canadian soldiers, and under Currie's leadership, Canadian soldiers won the battles of Amiens, Cambrai, Valenciennes, and Mons.
On August 23, 1919, Currie was appointed inspector general of the militia forces in Canada and was then promoted to full-ranking general on December 10. He intended to use the position to reform the military. However, he encountered significant opposition from the military bureaucracy to organizational changes. In 1920, Currie retired from the military and in May that year, he became Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University, a position he held until his death. From 1925 to 1927, he served as president of the National Conference of Canadian Universities and was elected as a trustee of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 1927. He also served as president of the Royal Canadian Legion from 1928 to 1929.
Arthur Currie served two years as president of the Young Men's Liberal Association of Victoria. He also was suggested as a candidate for the provincial legislature.
Views
Currie was an advocate of intense planning and preparation before going into battle.
Quotations:
"I am a good enough Canadian to believe, if my experience justifies me in believing, that Canadians are best served by Canadians."
"Thorough preparation must lead to success. Neglect nothing."
"We have shown that even in trench warfare it is possible to mystify and mislead the enemy."
Membership
Arthur Currie was a member of the Victoria District of Freemasonry and also was its deputy grandmaster in 1907. He also was president of the British Columbia Rifle Association.
British Columbia Rifle Association
,
Canada
1905
Victoria District of Freemasonry
,
Canada
1907
Personality
Those who knew Arthur Currie said that he wasn't an affable, charismatic leader, but he was efficient, intelligent and an expert at getting the most out of his men. However, in 1927, a small-town newspaper, the Evening Guide characterized him as a "butcher" who ignored the lives of soldiers during military operations. Currie sued the paper for libel. Many of Currie's senior officers testified that he urged them to advance with caution, avoiding unnecessary casualties. As a result, Currie won the court case.
Physical Characteristics:
Arthur Currie was physically a large man, standing over six feet tall with grey eyes and grey hair. He also had problems with his eyesight and hearing, though these were not considered severe enough to prevent him from serving overseas.
Quotes from others about the person
Maclean's: "No flashing genius, but a capable administrator, cool-headed and even-tempered and sound of judgment. He has surrounded himself with a capable staff whose counsel he shares and whose advice he takes. He is the last man in the world to stick to his own plan if a better one offers. So far as tactics go he is first among equals for such is the way his staff works."
Connections
Arthur Currie married Lucy Chaworth-Musters on August 14, 1901. The marriage produced a son and a daughter.
Father:
William Garner Curry
Mother:
Jane (Patterson) Curry
Spouse:
Lucy Chaworth-Musters
grandmother:
Jane Garner
Grandfather:
John Corrigan
Sister:
Almeda (Curry) Reid
Sister:
Mabel Annie (Curry) Currie
Sister:
Mary Curry
Brother:
John Curry
Brother:
Edward Curry
Daughter:
Marjorie Chaworth-Musters Currie
Son:
Garner Ormsby Currie
Friend:
Garnet Hughes
References
General Sir Arthur Currie: A Military Biography
The most important Canadian in the First World War, Arthur Currie was an extraordinary successful field commander in a war that produced few successful generals. In this biography, A.M.J. Hyatt recalls the military career of a remarkable man.