Replica set of medals presented at DV Currie VC Armoury
A presentation was made on February 28th 2018 of the replica medals that were presented at the DV Currie VC armoury. Replica medals of LCol David V Currie VC were presented recently to the Commanding Officer of the Sask Dragoons, Major Gillan Dulle, by Major (retired) Brad Hrycyna on behalf of the senate of the Sask Dragoons. The senate is composed of former commanding officers and regimental Sgt Majors of the unit. The replica set of medals were commissioned for presentation to the unit as the originals are no longer with the Currie family; it was felt that there should be the connection should be maintained with the Victoria Cross recipient and the unit he first joined as a soldier and was the first Honourary Colonel of.
The set will be on display in the armoury.
The Lone Recipient of the Victoria Cross for the C.A.C. in the Second World War
David Vivian Currie was born in Sutherland, Saskatchewan on 08 July 1912. The family lived in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan from 1913 to 1939 where he attended King George Public School and Central Collegiate. Following his formal education, Currie attended the Moose Jaw Technical School where he was trained as an automobile mechanic and welder.
Following service in the Militia, he joined the Canadian Army with the rank of lieutenant on 30 January 1940. He was promoted to Captain in April 1941 and was posted to the Royal Canadian Engineers training school at Dundern, Saskatchewan. A matter of months later, he was posted to the Canadian Armoured Corps training school at Camp Borden, Ontario. In May 1942 Currie joined the 29th Armoured Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) which was a unit of 4th Canadian Armoured Division, and embarked for the United Kingdom in August 1942. The South Alberta Regiment was converted to 4th Canadian Armoured Division’s armoured reconnaissance regiment in early 1943 and it landed in Normandy on 24 July 1944. Currie had been promoted to Major in March 1944, and commanded “C” Squadron of the South Albertas. Following World War II, Currie spent eight years in Baie Comeau, Quebec as the maintenance superintendent for the Quebec North Shore Paper Company. In 1953 he moved to Montreal where he held management positions with Bonnar Equipment and National Harvester.
In 1959 Currie was appointed Sergeant-of-Arms of the House of Commons by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. He held that position for seventeen years. Currie also served as vice-chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association (Overseas).
David Currie died on 20 June 1986 in Ottawa. He was buried in Owen Sound, Ontario, the home of his wife, the former Isabel Civil. A plaque to his memory was unveiled at Queen’s Park in Owen Sound on 01 July 1989 Major Currie’s original citation was for a Distinguished Service Order but the commanding officer of the SARs, Lt.-Col. Wotherspoon, changed it to a Victoria Cross on or about the 26 August 1944. The citation is reproduced in it’s entirety below. While the SP M-10s are noted as being in Currie’s task force, they in fact ended up with RHQ on Hill 117 and were not in the village of St. Lambert itself.
From the time he was awarded the Victoria Cross, Major Currie himself stressed the fact that any of the SAR squadrons could have done the same job he did in St. Lambert. He took pains to ensure that the battle in St. Lambert was viewed in it’s proper context; that being as only a single part of the whole regimental battle...There can be no doubt that the success of this force’s task on and stand against the enemy at ST. LAMBERT SUR DIVES can only be attributed to this officer’s coolness, inspired leadership and skilful use of the limited weapons at his disposal.
The courage and complete disregard for personal safety shown by Major Currie will forever be an inspiration to his regiment; his conspicuous bravery and extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy an example to the Canadian Army for all time.