Burrows, Frederick John

400 Private Frederick John Burrows - 11th Battalion/1st Machine Gun Battalion AIF

Frederick John Thomas Burrows – born 27^th December 1888 in Bordertown South Australia to Frederick and Isabella Burows. He was one of nine children born into the family. After leaving South Australia Frederick went to Taree New South Wales. In 1909 at Taree he was a boxer but got into trouble when his opponent died after the fight. A charge of manslaughter was brought about but witnesses all said it was a fair fight and the charges were then dismissed.

After this Frederick moved to Western Australia and took up residence at 99 Market Street, the following year moving to 12 Tuckfield Street Fremantle.

On the 17th August 1914 Frederick enlisted into the AIF at Fremantle. He was found to be fit for service and the medical examiner recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 12 stone 5;

Chest Measurment - 37-39 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Black.

After his successful enlistment, Fred was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was then assigned to “B” Company of the 11^th Battalion AIF with the regimental no.400. The 11^th Battalion trained in WA, mainly at Blackboy Hill Camp, through September and October 1914. They were keenly awaiting the orders for departure for service overseas. They were finally told to pack up camp and which much excitement entrained for Fremantle. On the 31^st October 1914 in Fremantle Harbour, Fred and the 11^th Battalion boarded the H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” and set sail amid a rousing crowd on the wharf who bid them farewell. The ship then moored in Gage Roads for 2 days, departing on the 2nd November 1914.

The journey took the 11^th Battalion to Egypt as it was a warmer climate for the Australians to train in as compared to England and also for the reason that Turkey had come into the war on the side of the Germans and that British were worried about Egypt’s security. From December 1914 to March 1915 the 11^th Battalion were based at Mena Camp just outside of Cairo and undertook much training. The 3^rd Brigade were thought to be the best of the Australian Brigades and in March were sent to Lemnos Island off the Turkish coast to prepare for a landing somewhere near the Dardanelles. The 11^th Battalion spent some time at Lemnos Island practising their landing and going for route marches through the Island. They were eventually joined on the Island by the other Australian Brigades as well as New Zealanders, British, French and Indians.

On April 25^th the landings took place on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The 11^th Battalion landed at what we know today as North Beach. The men climbed up the rugged hills between North Beach and Russel’s Top and made their way inland. Many of Fred’s B Company was dragged into the fight in the vicinity of Quinn’s Post and Baby 700.

Casualties were heavy and Fred was shot through the shoulder and chin. He was evacuated back to hospital in Egypt and had several weeks in recovery, before being released from hospital on the 30th June 1915. However he had several more weeks in Egypt before rejoining the 11th Battalion in September 1915.

Fred subsequently served with the 11th Battalion in France through 1916, serving through the actions at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm unscathed.

In early 1917 Frederick was transferred to the 3rd Machine Gun Company and he served with them through the remainder of that year, seeing action at Lagnicourt, Bullecourt and the Third Battle of Ypres. He came through these actions unscathed and in early 1918 the 3rd Machine Gun Company amalgamated with other units to form the 1st Machine Gun Battalion.

Fred saw out the war with this unit. As he was an original enlistee from 1914 Fred qualified for what was called 'Anzac Leave' and on the 23rd October 1918 he left England aboard a troopship which brought him home to Fremantle, arriving here on the 12th December 1918.

Fred was discharged from the AIF on the 17th February 1919. Fred then returned to his house at 12 Tuckfield Street Fremantle. John then moved to Nanga Brook where he found employment as a timber worker.

In 1926 he married Elsie Romaro in Perth and they had three children, Colin (1927), Patricia (1928) and Esme (1931). However Elsie and Fred were divorced in 1936.

Frederick appears to have spent the 1940's and 50's at Dwellingup and he died there on the 5th April 1963. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.