Most decorated · 22 medals and honours, 5 for gallantry
Major General Harold Barrowclough
Harold Barrowclough was a Dunedin and Auckland lawyer who went to the First World War as a young officer in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, won the Military Cross, the French Croix de Guerre and the DSO as a captain and then battalion commander, and finished the war leading his battalion over the ramparts of Le Quesnoy. He went on to command a brigade in Greece and the Western Desert (bar to the DSO), led 3rd New Zealand Division in the Solomons, and later became Chief Justice of New Zealand. By the counting rule he gathered 22 distinct awards over his career, with five for gallantry.
22medals and honours
5of them for gallantry
His medals and honours
Won for gallantry
Gallantry award
Military Cross (MC)
30 September 1916 (act); gazetted June 1917 · Near Flers, Somme, France · Captain, New Zealand Rifle Brigade (company commander)
Gazetted: London Gazette 30111 (supplement), 4 June 1917, p.5486, New Zealand Forces list
Barrowclough had been given a company command in July 1916, only months after becoming a captain. On 30 September, during the vicious trench fighting around Flers at the end of the Somme battle, he led a party against a German strong point and pushed on until his men made contact with the British 47th (London) Division on the flank. The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography credits him with 'coolness and bravery' in that fighting, and the same action brought the French Croix de Guerre. No citation was printed with the Gazette entry, so the account rests on the biographies and the Online Cenotaph. The award appeared in the New Zealand Forces section of the June 1917 supplement. It was the first of the decorations that marked him out as one of the Rifle Brigade's best young officers, and it was soon followed by a battalion command.
Online Cenotaph files this gazette reference under the heading 'Military Cross (Greece)', which is a mislabel: the entry is the British MC. The separate Greek Military Cross is item below. Cenotaph and Te Ara date the act 30 September 1916; Wikipedia says only 'September 1916'.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 30111 p.5486 (read); Te Ara DNZB (Crawford); Online Cenotaph; Wikipedia
Foreign gallantry award
Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 (France)
30 September 1916 (act); gazetted July 1917 · Near Flers, Somme, France · Captain, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Gazetted: London Gazette 30184 (supplement), 14 July 1917, p.7095
The French award was made for the same Flers action as his Military Cross. In the London Gazette supplement of 14 July 1917 his name appears, as 'Captain Harold Eric Barrowclough, New Zealand Infy', in the list of officers receiving the Croix de Guerre from the French Republic, which ran across several pages of that supplement. The Gazette gives no citation. The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography and the Online Cenotaph both say the MC and the Croix de Guerre were won together for his handling of his company in the trench fighting of 30 September 1916. The Croix de Guerre was a way for the French to recognise Allied officers who had done well alongside French or in joint operations on the Somme.
Gazette heading read on page 7092 (Croix de Guerre list); the officer lists continue to p.7095. Wikipedia gives 13 July; the page I read is headed 14 July.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 30184 pp.7092-7095 (read); Te Ara DNZB; Wikipedia
Gallantry award
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
8-13 September 1918 (act); gazetted February 1919 · Havrincourt Wood, France · Lieutenant-Colonel (Gazette: Capt. (T./Maj.)), New Zealand Rifle Brigade (battalion commander)
Gazetted: London Gazette 31158 (supplement), 1 February 1919, p.1616
Promoted lieutenant-colonel in August 1918, Barrowclough took over the 4th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade for the Hundred Days advance. Between 8 and 13 September, at Havrincourt Wood, his battalion faced a strongly held German position. The Gazette says he gathered good information by personal reconnaissance, and that during one of these outings the enemy counter-attacked. He rallied the men around him and led them forward, driving the Germans back 'with bomb and bayonet'. The citation praises 'conspicuous gallantry and able leadership'. He was only 24 and had risen from private to battalion commander in under four years. In the same Gazette list Lt-Col Leonard Jardine of the 2nd Battalion was cited for Gouzeaucourt in the same fighting.
The Gazette lists him as Capt. (T./Maj.) M.C., 1st Bn, NZ Rifle Brigade, whereas Te Ara, Wikipedia and Cenotaph say he commanded the 4th Battalion as a temporary lieutenant-colonel from August 1918. The Online Cenotaph also lists 'DSO' and 'DSO and bar' together: reconciled here as one DSO plus one bar.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 31158 p.1616 (read); Te Ara DNZB; Wikipedia
Foreign gallantry award
Military Cross, First Class (Greece)
1941 (act); permission to wear gazetted April 1942 · Greece · Brigadier, 6th New Zealand Infantry Brigade
Gazetted: London Gazette 35519 (4th supplement), 10 April 1942, p.1595
In April 1941 the 6th Brigade took part in the Greek campaign, a short, hard retreat through the Olympus-Servia area and then south. Barrowclough had trained the brigade hard since taking it over in October 1940 and it performed creditably under him. King George II of the Hellenes later awarded him the Greek Military Cross, First Class, together with other New Zealand brigadiers (Hargest, Inglis, Miles and Puttick) and Freyberg's staff; the Gazette of 10 April 1942 gave unrestricted permission to wear it. The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography names the award as the 'Greek Military Cross (first class)'. Wikipedia calls it a 'War Cross', but the Gazette heading is 'The Military Cross 1st Class' under the King of the Hellenes.
Not in the Online Cenotaph award list as such: its 'Military Cross (Greece)' entry carries the reference for the British MC of 1917. Counted here as a separate foreign gallantry decoration. Wikipedia's name 'War Cross (Greece)' disagrees with the Gazette and Te Ara.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 35519 p.1595 (read); Te Ara DNZB; Wikipedia
Bar: a second award
Bar to the Distinguished Service Order
November-December 1941 (act); gazetted February 1942 · Sidi Rezegh and Point 175, Libya (Operation Crusader) · Brigadier, 6th New Zealand Infantry Brigade
Gazetted: London Gazette 35465 (2nd supplement), 24 February 1942, p.893
In Operation Crusader, the November 1941 offensive to relieve Tobruk, the 6th Brigade fought through the Sidi Rezegh area and at one point overran parts of the Afrika Korps headquarters. Barrowclough then pressed hard to take Point 175, a key hill south of Tobruk. The attack cost one of his battalions heavily, and although the feature was taken, German counter-attacks forced the brigade off it after a few days. Even so, the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography records that he showed his 'usual determination, bravery and good tactical sense' in the savage fighting, and the bar to his DSO was given for 'conspicuous bravery and brilliant leadership'. The Gazette of 24 February 1942 lists him as Brigadier Barrowclough, D.S.O., M.C. (31490), New Zealand Military Forces, with Colonel George Clifton, in the bar list for gallant services in the Middle East.
Wikipedia dates the Gazette 20 February 1942; the page read is a second supplement to that Gazette, published 24 February.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 35465 p.893 (read); Te Ara DNZB; Wikipedia
Every other medal and honour (17)
1914-15 StarQualifying service from October 1915 · EgyptListed by the Online Cenotaph; he sailed with the Rifle Brigade in October 1915 and served in Egypt (Senussi operations) before the end of that year.British War Medal (1914-1920)1914-1920Standard campaign medal for his overseas service with the NZEF between 1915 and 1919.Victory Medal (1914-1919)1914-1919Standard Allied victory medal for service in a theatre of war; it would carry the mention emblem from his 1918 mention in despatches.New Zealand Long and Efficient Service MedalInterwar (probably 1920s-1931) · New ZealandLong-service award for his time in the New Zealand Territorial Force from 1913, with wartime service counting double for qualifying time.New Zealand Territorial Service MedalInterwar (before 1931) · New ZealandTwelve-year Territorial Force service medal (instituted 1911, replaced in 1931), consistent with his Territorial service from 1913.Efficiency Decoration (ED)Date not found (after 1930; before 1954) · New ZealandThe Efficiency Decoration is the long-service award for part-time officers (introduced 1930). He earned it from his years of Territorial command, including 1st Battalion, Otago Regiment (1924-29) and the 3rd Infantry…1939-1945 Star1940-1945Qualifying operational service with 2NZEF in the Second World War.Africa Star1940-1942 · Egypt and LibyaService in the Western Desert, including Operation Crusader in late 1941.Pacific Star1943-1944 · South Pacific (Vella Lavella, Treasury Islands, Green Islands)Command of 3rd New Zealand Division in the Solomon Islands operations.Defence Medal1939-1945Non-operational wartime service, such as his months in England in 1940 and the New Zealand and New Caledonia garrison periods.War Medal 1939-1945 (with mention oak leaf)1939-1945Standard Second World War service medal, listed with the oak-leaf mention emblem for his Greece mention.New Zealand War Service Medal1939-1945New Zealand medal for 28 days full-time (or six months part-time) service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), military divisionAnnounced 18 August 1944 · South PacificIn August 1944 Governor-General Sir Cyril Newall announced that the King had approved the CB for Barrowclough, in recognition of distinguished services in the South Pacific as general officer commanding 2NZEF in the…Legion of Merit, Degree of Commander (USA)Announced 2 November 1944 · South PacificThe United States awarded him the Legion of Merit in the Commander degree for his work commanding New Zealand forces within the American-led South Pacific Area, especially the Green Islands operation, where he…Coronation Medal ER 19531953 · New ZealandCommemorative medal for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, awarded in 1953 in his year of appointment as Chief Justice.Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG)New Year Honours 1954; Gazette 29 December 1953 supplement dated 1 January 1954 · New ZealandIn the New Year Honours of 1954, on the advice of New Zealand ministers, the Queen made 'The Honourable Harold Eric Barrowclough, C.B., D.S.O., M.C., E.D., Chief Justice' a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael…Mentioned in Despatches1918-19 (Le Quesnoy) and 1941 (Greece) · Le Quesnoy, France; GreeceCounted as one item under the rule; recorded here as two mentions. The first came after Le Quesnoy on 4 November 1918, when his battalion scaled the old town ramparts with ladders. The second was for his service in…
His story
Private to officer
A law student at Otago and a Territorial, Barrowclough enlisted in January 1915, was commissioned second lieutenant in May, and sailed as a lieutenant in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade on 9 October 1915. He had brief service in Egypt against the Senussi.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; Online Cenotaph
Flers, Somme
Now a captain commanding a company, he led trench fighting near Flers and linked with the British 47th Division, winning the MC and Croix de Guerre.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; London Gazette 30111, 30184
Wounded and back
He was wounded in June 1917, commanded reserve units in England, returned to France as a temporary major in March 1918, and in August 1918 took command of the 4th Battalion as a lieutenant-colonel.
Source: Wikipedia; Te Ara DNZB
Havrincourt Wood
He rallied his men during a German counter-attack and drove the enemy back; the DSO citation praised conspicuous gallantry and able leadership.
Source: London Gazette 31158 p.1616
Le Quesnoy
His battalion used ladders to take the walled town of Le Quesnoy, the New Zealand Division's last big action; he was mentioned in despatches.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; Online Cenotaph
Lawyer and Territorial colonel
Discharged 29 July 1919, he graduated LLB in 1921, practised in Dunedin, commanded the 1st Battalion, Otago Regiment (1924-29) and the 3rd Infantry Brigade (1930-31), then joined Russell McVeagh in Auckland.
Source: Te Ara DNZB
Brigadier, Greece and Crusader
Commanding the 6th Brigade, he fought in Greece in April 1941 and at Sidi Rezegh and Point 175 in November-December 1941, winning the Greek Military Cross and a bar to the DSO.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; London Gazette 35465, 35519
3rd New Zealand Division
He led the Pacific division from August 1942: New Caledonia, then Vella Lavella, the Treasury Islands and the Green Islands (about 16,500 men under his command). He received the CB and the US Legion of Merit in 1944.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; Papers Past
Chief Justice
Appointed Chief Justice in November 1953, he was made KCMG and a privy counsellor in 1954 and established the permanent Court of Appeal in 1957, retiring in January 1966.
Source: Te Ara DNZB; London Gazette 40055
Rank and insignia
The ranks he held, and the badge a soldier of that rank wore. These are simplified illustrations.
PrivateJanuary 1915No rank badge: a private soldier wore noneSecond LieutenantMay 1915Shoulder strap: one pipLieutenantOctober 1915Shoulder strap: two pipsCaptainMarch 1916Shoulder strap: three pipsTemporary MajorMarch 1918Shoulder strap: crownLieutenant-ColonelAugust 1918 · temporaryShoulder strap: crown and one pipLieutenant-Colonel1 July 1924 · Territorial ForceShoulder strap: crown and one pipColonel2 August 1930Shoulder strap: crown and two pipsBrigadier1 May 1940Shoulder strap: crown and three pipsMajor General1 April 1942 · temporaryShoulder strap: crossed sword and baton, one pipMajor General4 November 1942Shoulder strap: crossed sword and baton, one pip
Afterwards
Discharged from the NZEF in July 1919, Barrowclough finished his law degree in 1921 and built a career in Dunedin, then in Auckland from 1931, staying in the Territorial Force until he moved north. He was a leading figure in the revived National Defence League in the 1930s. In the Second World War he commanded the 6th Brigade in Greece and the desert, then 3rd New Zealand Division in the Pacific, and was discharged in November 1945 after the division was disbanded and he was passed over for further command.
He returned to Russell McVeagh, chaired a committee on hospital reform in 1953, and was appointed Chief Justice of New Zealand in November 1953. As Chief Justice he secured a permanent Court of Appeal in 1957. He was made KCMG and a privy counsellor in 1954, received an honorary LLD from Otago, and retired in January 1966. He died in Auckland on 4 March 1972 and his ashes were scattered at Purewa.
Later awards, not counted here: Bar to the DSO (1942); Greek Military Cross, First Class (1942); Companion of the Order of the Bath (1944); Legion of Merit, Commander (USA, 1944); Mentioned in Despatches (Greece, 1941); 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945, New Zealand War Service Medal.
This is the Service Record sign as we would make it from his record: his rank, name, regiment, number and date of embarkation. The medals on the sign are worked out automatically, so the medals listed above are the ones to rely on.
The Service Record
Photograph
We haven’t hosted a photograph here
Rather than copy someone else’s image onto our own site, we’d rather send you to see it where it’s properly held: his full record at the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Online Cenotaph.
Served in WW1: yes. Enlisted January 1915 (service number 24/16), commissioned May 1915, embarked 9 October 1915 with the NZ Rifle Brigade; Western Front 1916-18 (wounded June 1917); born Masterton, NZ. Nothing argues against listing him as a New Zealander of that war.
The Online Cenotaph's 'Military Cross (Greece)' entry actually carries the London Gazette reference (4 June 1917, p5486) for the British MC. Its list therefore omits the Greek Military Cross, First Class (London Gazette 35519, 10 April 1942, which names him), and mislabels the MC. Both are counted here as separate decorations.
Wikipedia calls the Greek award the 'War Cross'; the Gazette and Te Ara call it the Military Cross (First Class).
The Cenotaph's 'DSO and bar' and 'DSO' reconciled as one DSO plus one bar. Two mentions in despatches (1918-19 Le Quesnoy; December 1941 Greece) counted as one item. The first mention's Gazette reference was not located.
Wikipedia cites the CB to the 29 December 1953 Gazette, which is actually the KCMG list. The CB was announced in New Zealand on 18 August 1944; its Gazette page was not found.
Legion of Merit is a meritorious-service award and is counted as an honour, not as gallantry. Gallantry count of 5 = MC, Croix de Guerre, DSO, bar to DSO, Greek Military Cross.
Weakest items: the NZ Territorial Service Medal and the NZ Long and Efficient Service Medal rest only on the Online Cenotaph and could overlap with each other and the ED. If both were excluded, total would be 20. The ED date is not known; the 1942 Gazettes show him without ED.
Excluded as not decorations: Privy Counsellor (1954), honorary LLD (Otago, 1954), Honorary Colonel of the New Zealand Regiment (1957-60).
Possible doubt for 1914-15 Star: no Gallipoli service; qualification rests on Egypt service from October 1915 and the Cenotaph listing. No King's Jubilee or other interwar medal was found, none is counted.
Te Ara and Cenotaph give the MC action as 30 September 1916 at Flers; Wikipedia ties it to linking up with the British 47th Division. The Gazette DSO entry lists him as '1st Bn' and Capt (T./Maj), but all biographies say 4th Battalion as a lieutenant-colonel.
