Currie, Archibald Russell Biography 1971

CURRIE, Archibald Russell
DSO [Distinguished Service Order] (1945), OBE [Officer of the Order of the British Empire] (1951), lieutenant-colonel RNZE [Royal New Zealand Engineers] (retired)
Safety Engineer Labour Department, Wellington
Born: Napier, 12 November 1910; son of AE Currie; married 1937 Evelyn Emma, daughter of WH Alford; 1 daughter
Education: Wellington College, Canterbury University; BE (Civil) [Bachelor of Engineering]
1928 enlisted RNZNVR [Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve]; 1929 Public Works Department, clerical cadet; 1931 commenced study Canterbury University; 1935 BE (Civil); 1936 structural engineer, Public Works Department head office; 1937 rejoined RNZNVR  as Leading Seaman; 1937 from RNZNVR to NZ Staff Corps as lieutenant 1937, Adj [adjutant] 2 Field Company, RNZE; 1938 engineer works officer, Southern Military District, Adj 3 Field Company, RNZE; 1940 Commanding Officer 8^th Field Company (major); AMNZIE [Associate Member of New Zealand Institution of Engineers]  1941; 1941 Middle East, 1942 combined operations training course; 1942 Middle East camouflage School; 1942 wounded on operations to establish Alamein Line; 1942 commandant and chief instructor 8^th Army School of Minefield Clearance; 1942 wounded Nofilai; 1943 wounded Tripoli; 1943 Commanding Officer 7^th Field Company, RNZE; 1943 staff CRE [Commander, Royal Engineers], 2nd NZ Expeditionary Force Italian Campaign; 1944 CRE (works), Central Military District, NZ; 1945 assistant director, Fortifications and Works, Army headquarters (lieutenant-colonel) (director 1946); 1949 director Royal NZ Engineers; 1951 chief engineer, NZ Army; retired 1960; safety engineer Labour Department, 1961; MNZIE [Member of New Zealand Institution of Engineers], 1965; regional engineer, Canterbury University Rowing VIII 1935; Council member Professional Engineers Association 1945-47, PEA [Professional Engineering Associates] representative central advisory committee on rehabilitation 1947-48
Recreation: gardening, military engineering history
Private address: 32 Wilford St, Lower Hutt