Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Marshall BURROWS, (Service Number 753) was born on 5 April 1884 at Morebringer, near Howlong, Victoria. He became a casual fuelman at Eveleigh Locomotive Deport on 11 May 1914, and a permanent employee two years later. He nominally retained that job until 1919, although he had been granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 2 November 1914. At that time, he was living in Enmore, with his wife Emily.
He left Australia through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Anglo-Egyptian’ on 8 February 1915 with the 2nd Reinforcements to the Light Horse Regiment. He was serving on Gallipoli when in July he became ill with dysentery to the extent that he was hospitalised and returned to Australia from Suez on HMAT ‘Themistocles’.
After recuperation he returned to duty and left Australia again through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Armadale’ on 21 March 1916, but this time as the 15th Reinforcements to the 1st Light Horse and on 1 May he transferred to the 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion. His records are confused by continuing ill health, and hospitalisation in France and England. On 19 January he was missing from his unit, though there was no particular evidence of where he might be. A Court of Enquiry held in February ruled that his absence was to be treated as a casualty. In fact, he had been wounded and taken prisoner.
When information was passed from the Red Cross in Frankfurt to that effect, Headquarters of the 4th Pioneers responded:
‘The above-named soldier, a member of this unit, was by Court of Enquiry declared “missing” (battle casualty) as from 19.1.1918. Your letter is the first intimation this unit has received to the effect of the above-named being “prisoner of war.”’
Interned at Parchim he sent a postcard, dated 10/4/18:
‘I was wounded and taken prisoner on 18/1/18. I am still in Hospital and going on well. Trust you will acquaint my people of my being a prisoner.’
He was repatriated to England at the war’s end and then to Australia but was a very ill man with Tuberculosis and heart failure. He was cared for at ‘Boddington’ Red Cross Sanatorium, Wentworth Falls where he died on 24 August 1919. His terminal illness was seen as a consequence of his war service and his death acknowledged as on active service. The Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour gives his cause of death as ‘Prisoner of War’. The cut-off date for First World War deaths is 31 March 1921.
Marshall Burrows left a widow, Emily Adaliza Melissa, and a son, aged four years, Albert M, presumably Marshall. He is buried at Rookwood Necropolis, Sydney.
(NAA B2455-3174104)