Harold Edward Burrows

Born 11 Mar 1896 - Died 4 Oct 1917

Service number: WWI 14384 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Private AWMM Auckland Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 16th (Waikato) Company AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Three quarter portrait of Harold Edward Burrows (born 24 March 1896), the son of John & Margaret Burrows. (Photographer: Herman Schmidt, 1916). Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 31-B1485. No known copyright. No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Harold Edward Burrows was born in Auckland on 11 March 1896, the youngest son of John and Margaret Burrows. Before enlisting he worked as a farm labourer for R. C. Wallace at Māngere and lived with his mother at Te Atatū, Henderson. He had previously served with the 3rd Auckland Regiment in the Territorial Force.

Burrows enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in March 1916 and was posted as Private 14384 to A Company, 14th Reinforcements, Auckland Infantry Battalion. He embarked from Wellington on 26 June 1916 aboard HMNZT 56 Maunganui and reached Devonport, England, in August.

After training at Sling Camp, Burrows left for France on 14 September 1916 and was taken on strength at the New Zealand Infantry Base Depot at Étaples on 17 September. In his August 1917 letter he recalled joining his company on the Somme on 29 September, while his official service record gives 1 October 1916 as the date he joined the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, in the field.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira holds papers relating to the wartime service of Harold Edward Burrows and Michael Joseph Paitry (MS-2002-58). These include a digitised letter written by Burrows to his brother Will on 26 August 1917, available to view through Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War. Written while he was on ten days’ leave in Britain, the letter provides a detailed account of his service on the Somme, at Sailly and Laventie, in Ploegsteert Wood and during the Battle of Messines.

Burrows wrote that he did not enter the firing line on the Somme. About two weeks later, his battalion moved to the Sailly and Laventie sector south of Armentières, where it remained until 24 February 1917. The unit then moved to Hill 63 near Ploegsteert Wood. Burrows described this as the point when sustained shelling, trench-mortar attacks and raids began. During one bombardment his friend Jim Leckie was killed by a shell.

In preparation for the Battle of Messines, Burrows and his comrades worked at night strengthening trenches and slept during the day. On the night of 6 June 1917 they moved to their assembly positions wearing gas masks. At 3.15 the following morning, the mines beneath the German positions were detonated and the artillery bombardment began. Burrows recalled the earth moving in several directions and the German-held ground appearing to be on fire.

As the infantry advanced, Burrows saw men falling and heard cries for help, but the soldiers were required to continue until they reached their objective beyond the remains of Messines. His company then spent approximately 80 hours carrying trench stores and supporting the forward positions.

During a later trench tour, Burrows took part in a raid approximately 600 yards into enemy-held ground. The raiding party encountered German troops in shell holes in no-man’s-land, resulting in close fighting with bombs, rifles and bayonets. He recorded that about 160 men began the raid and around 90 returned.

Burrows wrote frankly to Will because he did not want their mother or sisters to know the full details of his experiences:

“Don’t let Mum see this letter as I will not tell her anything about the war but about my holiday. Kia-Ora.”

At the time, Burrows had been placed in charge of a section and believed his officers might recommend him for promotion, although he remained a private. His letter closes with plans to travel from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow during his leave (Letter to Will Burrows, 26 August 1917, MS-2002-58-1-3).

After returning to France, Burrows rejoined his battalion. He was granted leave in August 1917 and returned to duty in early September. On 4 October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium during the fighting near Ypres. He was 21 years and seven months old. His family’s death notice described him as their dearly loved youngest son and concluded:

“He nobly did his duty.”

Burrows has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing at Zonnebeke, Belgium. His name is also recorded in the World War I Hall of Memories at Auckland War Memorial Museum and on the Onehunga Roll of Honour.

He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His Memorial Plaque, Memorial Scroll and service medals were issued to his mother, Margaret Burrows. AWMM

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Harold Edward Burrows