“ Seek and You Shall Find”!!
Seeking information about his late father who took part in Israel’s War of Independence, John Burrows Jr. contacted World Machal representative Zipporah Porath via e-mail. The moving letter he wrote, printed below, set in motion a far-ranging and fascinating search which is already having an amazing, heartwarming ending.
“Perhaps you may be able to help me. I am searching for information on my late father, John Burrows, who took part in the War of Independence. He was serving as a paratrooper with the 6th Airborne Division based in Haifa and was so disgusted by the official British Government policy that he and several comrades deserted, taking with them artillery pieces and other equipment and ammunition. They joined the Haganah. He also made several trips out of Israel to procure arms (in all sorts of ways) and was provided with a false Canadian passport, under the name David Dawson. My mother’s father, Heinrich Buchner, ran a safehouse for the Haganah/Palmach in Paris, and it was here that my parents met. My dad could easily have settled permanently in Israel but when my mother was pregnant with me, he decided to return to England – despite the pleas of all his comrades and friends – in order to give his child a British birthright. He served time in a tough military prison, but was released after 9 months and sent to Malaya, this time as a private with the Royal Signals. He distinguished himself well in the Malaya Campaign and was rapidly promoted up to Staff Sergeant, then returned to active duty in Germany and England, until he retired from active service and emigrated to Australia.
I remained totally ignorant of my father’s selfless involvement in Israel’s War of Independence until many years after his death, my mother telling me on her deathbed. I had been raised as just another “army brat” and my saddest regret is that I never had the chance to tell my father how proud I am of his actions. He was a brave, decent and honourable man, who lived by his principles to the letter.
The British Army official archivist told me that all records of the time are no longer available, a situation I find rather deplorable, but typical.
If you can help me with any information regarding his involvement, I would be exceedingly grateful”.
Machalnik Joe Woolf recalled that David Bowden (nom-de-guerre David Appel), who was Joe’s company commander in the 7th Armoured Brigade, had formerly been in the British 6th Airborne, the same division as John Burrows Sr. Joe was also able to supply a list of other ex-Machalniks who may have served in the same tank units as his father. In addition, he suggested contacting some of the non-Jewish British volunteers, also deserters, who had joined the Haganah, and eventually married Jewish girls. A few had remained in Israel, others were no longer in the country. Each contact led to yet another link in this fascinating saga.
David (Migdal) Tepperson recalled knowing a “Johnny Watson” who was friendly with Johnny Dawson (possibly his father’s nom-de-guerre) and even had a photograph of the two Johnnies which he has sent to John Burrows. John subsequently sent Migdal a photograph of his late father, and it would seem that he was indeed “Johnny Dawson” and that he had served in the 82nd. Migdal and his wife both remember John Burrows’ parents and in fact they had lived on the same Moshav (Moshav Habonim) and had been present at the Burrows wedding!
Further research on the part of the son enabled him to trace Johnny Watson in London, who told him quite a bit about his late father’s track record, and helped him to locate others in America, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and elsewhere, who had served with John Burrows Sr.
The heartwarming end of this story is that thanks to ex-Machalniks all over the world John Jr. is unearthing the treasure of information he sought about his father’s history and learning more than he bargained for about Machal, Israel and the War of Independence.
Fortunately, there are still enough ex-Machalniks around to tell the tale.