ANZAC Search

William Patrick Curry - Information

When the war began, William was living in Camden where he was born and raised. For a time, he resided with a Mrs Bertwister at 89 John St, Woollahra, before moving back to the area. He then joined the military as a permanent soldier serving with the Australian Army Medical Corps. He had been serving in the AAMC for over six years, when he decided to join the AIF. He signed on in Liverpool on the 4th of April 1916, at the age of 37. At the time, he was working at the Garrison Hospital at Victoria Barracks in Sydney. On signing up, William was posted to the 9th Field Ambulance as a Private. He set off from Sydney Harbour onboard the HMAT Argyllshire on the 11th of May 1916. Later that year, he left Southampton for France.

On the Western Front, William provided treatment and transportation to wounded and sick troops. The ambulances would have been a most welcome sight for many troops wanting to escape the horror of the battlefields. Unfortunately, those in the medical corps were not immune to the dangers of warfare. William was wounded in action on the 7th of June 1917, receiving a gun shot wound to the chest. After initial treatment, he was evacuated to England on the Hospital Ship Brighton in mid July. He was then taken by the St John’s Ambulance to Beauford War Hospital. The bullet penetrated his right lung. In July, he was moved to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford. His wound healed; however, he continued to have pain in his chest and coughing fits in the mornings. In mid September, he was sent back to France from Southampton and rejoined his unit. William continued to care for the troops until after the war ended. Sadly, even after the guns fell silent, the suffering of the wounded troops was far from over. In March 1919, William was attached for duty with the 11th Field Ambulance. He was then transported to England and was granted leave. While on furlough, he completed a course in Forestry at Edinburgh University. He returned to the Field Ambulance attached to AIF Headquarters in London, before leaving for Australia in early September. He was discharged from military service in February 1920.