The memorial, consisting of an inscribed granite base and a life-sized bronze figure of General Sir Arthur Currie, was sculpted by artist Adrienne Alison. The Sir Arthur Currie Memorial Project unveiled the life-size bronze statue of the famous First World War General on August 4, 2014. The event included a cadet parade, band performances, military re-enactor demonstrations and the participation of a number of distinguished guests, project supporters, and descendants of General Sir Arthur Currie.
Currie was born just outside of Strathroy, and became the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Corps in the First World War. The project was paid for entirely through fund-raising efforts through private donations, corporate sponsorships, numerous community organizations, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Army Cadet League of Canada.
A travelling exhibit highlighting the extraordinary life and military career of Sir Arthur Currie is on display at Museum Strathroy-Caradoc. The exhibit considers the influence of his youth on his remarkable rise through the ranks from a militia gunner before the First World War to becoming the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Highlights of the display include a battlefield model demonstrating Currie’s use of the creeping barrage tactic, a restored German machine gun captured at the Battle of Amiens, and items related to a soldier’s experience in the trenches on the front line. There are also numerous artifacts and photographs that trace the humble roots of Canada’s greatest military commander.
