Regimental No.: M.104378
Rank: Lance Corporal
David was the second oldest son of Robert Burrows and Mary (nee Sneddon)( formerly Polluck) Burrows of Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland. He was born on September 16, 1924. He had four half-brothers on the Burrows side, Thomas, William, Alexander, Hector Burrows; and two half-brothers on the Pollock side, James and John Pollock and two half-sisters, Catherine and Mae Polluck as well as brothers George and Leslie Burrows and one sister, Helen. In 1927, the Burrows family decided to immigrate to Canada and settled in an area known as Glen Leslie where they purchased the E ½ 12-72-4-W6.
David attended the Somme School from 1931 to 1939 at which time he worked on the family farm until he enlisted with the Royal Canadian Engineers on October 14, 1942 in Grande Prairie. He trained in Edmonton at the Prince of Wales Armories until December 1942 when he was transferred to Chilliwack, BC and remained there until September 1943 when he was transferred to Hamilton, ON, returned to Chilliwack, BC and lastly transferred to Truro, NS. David sailed for England where he trained for the Normandy Invasion. He sailed for France on June 6, 1944 and landed at Juno Beach and subsequently was involved in the Battle of Caen in August of 1944. From there, George was transferred to Holland and then back to England for the repatriation process and was discharged in 1945. While in England, he married a lady by the name of Iris and they settled in Grande Prairie after the war where David found employment driving a horse-drawn milk wagon and later worked at Imperial Motors. They had three children, Pete, John and Judy. In 1956, the family returned to England. David and Iris divorced and David returned to Grande Prairie were he resided until he passed away on February 6, 2014. He was buried in the Glen Leslie Cemetery.
Contributed by Wanda Zenner
Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie p. 448, p. 422 Photo as a child with 3 siblings, George, Leslie and Helen
SPRA Reference Files – (information by Helen Burrows Horrigan (sister)