Frederick Burrows (Australian soldier)
Frederick Alexander Burrows | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Bull |
Born | First World War
Second World War
| 10 November 1897
Awards | Distinguished Service Order Military Medal Cross of Valour (Poland) |
Early life
Frederick Alexander Burrows was born at
First World War
Embarking for Egypt in July 1915, Burrows was posted to the
Interwar period
Returning to civilian life, Burrows found employment at an engineering company in Melbourne. He retained an interest in military service, and joined the militia, known as Citizens Military Force. He served initially in the 14th Battalion but in 1934, following a transfer to his employer's offices in Sydney where he took up a position as sales manager, he was posted to the 36th Battalion. Four years later, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed commander of the battalion.[1]
Second World War
In March 1940, Burrows was appointed commander of the Eastern Command Recruit Training Depot[3] and then the following month enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force for service aboard. He was made commander of the 2/13th Battalion.[1] His new command numbered about 900 personnel and was part of the 20th Brigade, 7th Division.[4] He soon earned the nickname the Bull, on account of his robust voice. Burrows and his battalion arrived in the Middle East in November 1940.[1]
In February 1941, the 20th Brigade, including Burrow's battalion, was transferred to the newly formed 9th Division.[5] The following month, the battalion was in Cyrenaica.[6] In the run-up to and during the Siege of Tobruk, Burrows led his battalion well.[1] During this time, he had to achieve a fighting withdrawal of his battalion at Er Regima, near Benghazi, in the face of advancing German armour[7] and was an aggressive commander at Tobruk, striving to extend the defensive lines.[8] In the latter stages of the defence, his battalion came under the command of the Polish Brigade and was responsible for the western perimeter.[9] When offensive operations in conjunction with Operation Crusader began in November 1941, the 2/13th Battalion provided part of the reserve, the only Australian unit to be involved.[10] During these operations, he arranged and conducted a night attack at Ed Duda on 30 November, successfully recapturing the position that had been lost earlier in the day.[11] The next day he was seriously wounded by artillery.[12]
Because of his wounds, Burrows returned to Australia. He was
Later life
On being discharged, Burrows returned to his pre-war role with Cooper Engineering. In 1946, he set up the Adelaide office for the firm. He also served on the Repatriation Board for South Australia for a time. In 1959, he went into retirement. His wife, Isabel née Mathieson, who he had married in 1921, died in 1963. The following year he married again, to Thelma, a widow. He died at Adelaide's Repatriation General Hospital on 23 May 1973. He was survived by his second wife and two children from his first marriage.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hill, A. J. "Frederick Alexander Burrows (1897–1973)". Burrows, Frederick Alexander (1897–1973). Australian National University. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
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ignored (help) - ^ a b "7th Australian Infantry Battalion". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Temporary Brigadier Frederick Alexander 'Bull' Burrows". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Long 1952, p. 83n.
- ^ Maughan 1966, p. 79.
- ^ Maughan 1966, p. 16.
- ^ Maughan 1966, pp. 73–75.
- ^ Maughan 1966, p. 242.
- ^ Maughan 1966, pp. 418–419.
- ^ Maughan 1966, p. 423.
- ^ Maughan 1966, pp. 474–475.
- ^ Maughan 1966, p. 493.
References
- OCLC 18400892.
- Maughan, Barton (1966). Tobruk and El Alamein. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army. Vol. III (1st ed.). Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 464063856.