Image: Hector Burrows, 1940 (SPRA 2005.094.05)
Regiment: Calgary Tank Corps – C. Squadron
Hector Burrows was one of 7 siblings who served in the WW II. He came to Canada from Scotland with his family in 1927. His parents, Robert and Mary, and their children settled on a farm in the Glen Leslie district, by Bezanson AB, Hector worked as a farm hand for several neighbors. In 1940 he enlisted with the Calgary Tank Corps, joining up in Grande Prairie AB, and was posted overseas, seeing active service. He trained at Camp Borden, ON in 1941 before going to Aldershot, England. He was in Africa in 1943, served in Ortona, Italy, and then in Sicily. He returned to England before going home to Canada. After returning from WW II, he settled in Faust AB, later moving to High Prairie AB. He and his wife Mary (who also served in WWII) had 3 children: Geraldine, Donald, and Faye. Hector passed away on December 1, 1994 in the McLennan hospital. The funeral service was held in High Prairie.
Source: Smoky River to Grande Prairie p. 448
Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune December 16, 1994 – Obituary
SPRA Family Reference Files – information written by Helen Burrows Horrigan (sister)
-Photo
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.