Barrow, David De Symons, born 07-12-1910 in Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, 
Surrey, United Kingdom. David was baptised in March 1911 as the only son of General Sir George De Symons Barrow, 
G.C.B., K.C.M.G., and his wife Lady Sybilla Barrow, born Way, of The Lee, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. They had married on the 04-06-1902. David had a sister Sybilla. Their father was retired from the Indian Army after a long and varied career. During WW1 he would command the 4th Cavalry Division. 
On the 07-08-1935 David married Evelyn Pares (known as ‘Dim’) in the Parish Church at Horsfell, Surrey. 
They had two children Carlotta and Peter (known as Crisha and Bursi). From January 1925 to July 1929, David was educated at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire 
before entering the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. 
Barrow was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in The Queen’s Royal Regiment 
on the 21-01-1931 and promoted to Lieutenant on the 29-01-1934. By 1944 he was a Captain with the rank of Temporary Major.
David was an accomplished artist and his head and shoulders portrait of an unidentified Jemadar of an unidentified Indian cavalry regiment 
is displayed at the National Army Museum.
Death and burial ground of Major Barrow, David De Symons.
After landing in France on D-Day, the 6th June 1944, David was fighting in Normandy when he was wounded in action. He died of his wounds on the 21-06-1944, age 33.
David was posthumously awarded the gallantry medal the Military Cross. 
This was announced in the London Gazette on the 31-08-1944. The citation for the award is as follows:-
“This officer commanded an assault Company of his Battalion which landed at La Breche, France on the 6th June 1944. He was ordered to attack a strongly defended enemy position which was completely surrounded by a wire obstacle. He shewed both skill and initiative during the attack and personally led his Company forward under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire.
The position was captured and a number of prisoners taken. Owing to numerous casualties he had to take command of his Battalion for an attack on a similar position. This attack was organised and carried out with skill and determination, again being right up in the front of the battle. The attack was successful mainly due to the fine leadership of Major Barrow, who was outstanding throughout the operations”.
Major Barrow, David De Symons was buried in La Delivrande War Cemetery, 37 Rte de Caen, 14440 Douvres-la-Délivrande in Normandy. He is also commemorated in the following locations.
On the War Memorial and in the Book of Remembrance at Stowe School and on Column 80 at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. 
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