BURROWS, William G

William Burrows was the son of Jane Burrows who lived at Greenfield Terrace, Hagley Road, Oldswinford. With his brother, Leonard, he attended Oldswinford C. of E. School and by 1914 he was married to Amy. Later she moved to 2 White Court, Amblecote. He was employed as a gardener by Mr Pearson of The Birches, Hagley. He volunteered for the Worcesters in September 1915 and was posted in December to the 2nd Battalion in the 33rd Division. The Worcesters were involved in the battle of the Somme in 1916 and in November he was wounded and returned to England to recover. He was transferred to a Tunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers and then went back to his old regiment early in 1918. The Worcesters were in Flanders on the Passchendaele ridge when the second German Spring offensive was launched on the River Lys on the 9th April. The Worcesters fell back to Neuve Eglise in an attempt to halt the attack. They were heavily outnumbered and then surrounded in the village. Captain Crowe’s successful breakout saved the majority and won him the Victoria Cross, but some died in the attempt, including Private William Burrows. He was 28 years of age and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert, Amblecote, Oldswinford church, Methodist church and Oldswinford school Memorials.