Regiment: R. C. A. M. C. 4th Casualty Clearing Station
Regiment No.: M25812
Rank: Sergeant
Thomas was the oldest son of Robert and Elizabeth (nee Paris) Burrows of Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland. He was born on April 25, 1911. He had three siblings, Alexander, William and Hector. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Burrows passed away leaving Robert with four children to raise. He subsequently married Mary (nee Sneddon) Pollock who was a widow with five children; Jim, John, Catherine, Alex and Mae. Robert and Mary had four children together; George, David, Leslie and 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.
Thomas worked on the family farm and for local farmers until he ventured out on his own and filed for a homestead on SW 21-73-3-W6 in the Fitzsimmons area. The application was later cancelled. On September 9, 1939, Thomas enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in Edmonton. After basic training, he sailed for England on January 25, 1940. In 1941, Thomas was diagnosed with lip cancer; received treatment in England before he was transferred back to Edmonton where he was stationed at the Prince of Wales Armories. From there, he was transferred to the Suffield Experimental Station. Thomas was discharged in Calgary on October 1, 1945. Thomas married Vera Rees of Edmonton and had 10 children. They moved back to Crystal Creek area where they farmed for a period of time but decided to return to Edmonton where Thomas found employment with the Provincial Government until his retirement in 1975. Once retired, they moved to Ladysmith, BC where they resided until Thomas passed away in 1977.
Contributed by Wanda Zenner
Source: Smoky River to Grande Prairie pp. 422 and 448
AGS Website – Obituary Index
SPRA Family Reference Files – written by Helen Burrows Horrigan, including photo