He received the award for his actions during the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin in September 1918, while serving with Australian Imperial Force on the Western Front during the First World War.

After the war, Currey worked as a labourer and railway worker before entering the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Labor Party representative for the seat of Kogarah, which he held between 1941 and his death in 1948.

In October 1916, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, volunteering for service overseas during the First World War, having attempted unsuccessfully several times before, being rejected as under-aged.

[6] On 1 September 1918 in the attack on Péronne, France, Currey, as a 22-year-old private in the 53rd Battalion, rushed forward under heavy machine-gun fire and captured single-handed a 77-mm field gun which had been holding up the advance, killing all the crew.

Subsequently he volunteered to carry orders for withdrawal to an isolated company, bringing back valuable information, doing so under heavy fire and despite being gassed.

The citation published in the London Gazette of 14 December 1918 concluded that his behaviour was a "striking example of coolness, determination and utter disregard of danger... and his gallant work contributed largely to the success of the operation.

[4][5] His funeral was held at St Stephen's Presbyterian church in Macquarie Street, Sydney,[2] after which he was cremated and his ashes were interred at Woronora Cemetery.