RAAF veteran Alan Curr mourned after losing battle with cancer

A decorated RAAF navigator who defended Australia abroad and volunteered with the Caloundra RSL sub-branch has been remembered for his larger than life personality.

A decorated Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander and beloved RSL volunteer has been remembered for his larger than life personality after sadly passing away from a rare form of cancer.

Alan Curr passed away at the age of 73 on Sunday evening after succumbing to cancer of the bile duct, an extremely rare disease which has no cure.

The Caloundra veteran community and the Sunshine Coast was mourning the death of Mr Curr who gave several decades of service to defend Australia abroad in the RAAF.

Caloundra RSL Services Club president Cathy Stamp said the proud veteran was commonly known by his nickname ‘Big Al’ which was even on his voicemail.

“We called him Big Al because he had such a big personality as well as being 6ft tall, everywhere he went he had this smile,” Mrs Stamp said.

Alan Curr on Remembrance Day in 2019.

“Al was very passionate with everything that he did and was a ray of sunshine wherever he went.”

Mrs Stamp said Mr Curr was heavily involved in the sub-branch over the years and would help as the bus driver along with assisting in Friday night trivia.

“He was the director on the board of the services club and helped the branch tremendously especially during Covid when we were closed,” she said.

“Al was an active member until his illness and was such a super fit guy, riding his bike wherever he went.

“He had quite a stellar career in the air force as well.”

After joining in 1967, Mr Curr served in the Royal Australian Air Force as a navigator in three different conflicts including Vietnam, the Middle East and East Timor.

His colleague of nearly 50 years David Dunlop said Mr Curr served in the #2 squadron in Vietnam flying Canberra Bombers before converting to the F-111s in the early 1970s.

Mr Dunlop said Mr Curr served with the United Nations in East Timor and would eventually retire from the air force in 2010 when he helped organise the farewell for the retirement of the F-111s.

RAAF Wing Commander Alan Curr in 2010 after the decommissioning of the F-111s at the RAAF base at Amberley. Picture: Jeff Camden

The RAAF veteran was then involved in the Pelican Waters Golf Club and the Caloundra RSL and would stay connected with the tight knit F-111 community while on the Sunshine Coast.

“I would’ve been the closest air force colleague he had up here,” Mr Dunlop said.

“He was a character and I’ll certainly miss his stories as he was one of those larger than life characters.”

Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said one story that stuck with him was when Mr Curr was stationed in New Zealand where he was forced to eject from his aircraft due to double engine failure.

“Needless to say he came off better than the F-111,” Mr Wallace said.

“He had a great passion for the F-111s which the RAAF called the flying pig.”

Mr Wallace had known Mr Curr for his work volunteering with the LNP where he had helped with several state and federal campaigns.

The decorated veteran would sink a lot of his time into helping his beloved RSL as well.

“Alan was an exceptional human being, a real gentleman, typical RAAF,” he said.

RAAF Wing Commander Alan Curr in 2010.

“It was so typical of ex-servicemen to give back, they have it ingrained in them this sense of service and self sacrifice and that doesn’t leave them when they retire from the military.

“A lot of them give back to their community in many forms when they discharge and Alan was a great example of that.”

Mrs Stamp and Mr Wallace both recalled a close call Mr Curr had after his diagnosis when he and a group of golfers escaped a bus inferno along the Bruce Highway near Gympie on January 18, 2022.

“Everyone got out okay luckily but all of their golf clubs were destroyed,” Mrs Stamp recalled.

“Al wasn’t too happy he lost those clubs and he went out bought another set after that.

“He’ll be sorely missed.”

Mr Curr is survived by his daughter Jasmine, his brothers Pedro and Ashley and his sisters Glenda and Moreen.