New Zealand Major General. A World War I veteran, he served as the Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces from 1931 until 1937. Born William Livingston Hatchwell Sinclair, his father was a shipping merchant. His parents divorced when he was young and his mother married a Congregational minister and he took on his surname of Burgess, and the family immigrated to New Zealand in the 1890s. In 1898 he joined the New Zealand Volunteer Forces, initially serving with the South Canterbury Mounted Rifles in Timaru, New Zealand. In 1902 he transferred the New Zealand Regiment of Field Artillery Volunteers, based in Auckland. He received a commission as an officer in 1906 and was promoted to the rank of captain three years later. In 1911, he joined the New Zealand Permanent Forces (the precursor to the New Zealand Military Forces) and as one of the first officers in the newly formed New Zealand Staff Corps, he served as adjutant of the 16th (Waikato) Regiment. In 1913 he was sent to Tasmania on exchange with the Australian Military Forces and when World War I broke out in August 1914, he joined the 1st Australian Imperial Force and two months later he was sent to the Middle East with the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade. The following year he was promoted to the rank of major and during the Gallipoli Campaign, he commanded the 9th (Tasmanian) Battery and was wounded in May 1915. In October of that year he was evacuated from Gallipoli due to poor health and the following March he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and given command of the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Australian Division, on the Western Front. From July to September 1916 he distinguished himself at the Battle of the Somme and was awarded the Croix de Officier of the Legion d'honneur (Legion of Honour) in May 1917, one of only 14 New Zealand military members to have received the award during World War I. He was then promoted to the rank of brigadier general and appointed Commander, Royal Artillery of the 4th Australian Division and served in this capacity for the remainder of the war. He was discharged from the AIF in July 1919 and he returned to New Zealand and continued his military career with the New Zealand Military Forces as an artillery officer at the Wellington Military District Headquarters in Palmerston North. In 1922 he was assigned to New Zealand Military Forces Headquarters in Wellington as a staff officer and two years later he became director of military intelligence and training for three months before being promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed Chief of the General Staff. In 1926 he began formally using his biological father's surname Sinclair as part of his last name. In 1928 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and he became Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces in April 1931, later being promoted to the rank of major general. While Commandant, he was instrumental in the purchase of military aircraft which led to the establishment of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and artillery for harbor defenses. He retired in this position in March 1937 with 39 years of military service. Among his honors and military awards include the Knight Companion of the Order of the British Empire, the British Knight Bachelor, the British Companion of the Order of the Bath, the British Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, the British Distinguished Service Order, the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, the US Distinguished Service Medal, and the French Croix de Officier of the Legion d'honneur (Legion of Honour). He was also mentioned in despatches (an official report written by a superior officer) for gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy on six separate occasions. Following the outbreak of World War II, he offered his services to the New Zealand government but was turned down. He died at the age of 84.