He was posted to Cairo in 1938 where he served throughout the Second World War and where he met his future wife Ines, the daughter of John Walter, co-proprietor of The Times.
In this position he advocated for Transjordan's invasion of Palestine which, in his view, "would have immense strategic advantages for us, both in cutting the Jewish State … off from the Red Sea and by extending up to the Mediterranean the area in which our military and political influence is predominant".
Burrows expressed his disagreement with British foreign policy over Suez and was frustrated by the inadequate communication from his headquarters (he was never consulted by London about the regional repercussions of the operation), bringing him close to resignation.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom visited Ankara as the guest of the head of state Cemal Gursel during his term in the embassy.
Burrows established excellent relations with President Gursel who later helped obtain permission for British military aircraft to overfly Turkey on their way to support Kuwait.
When government and public opinion in Britain reacted sharply against the execution of Menderes despite his efforts for the contrary and pleas of forgiveness to the ruling military[National Unity Committee by the Queen, President John F. Kennedy, Gursel and İsmet İnönü, Sir Bernard worked hard to prevent a diplomatic rupture between the two countries.
Burrows retained a strong attachment to Turkey, supporting its closer integration into Europe and its membership of the European Union as its persuasive advocate over 40 years.
He was immensely popular with the Turks, and when his wife died in 1997, trees were planted in the central Kuğulu Park in Ankara to honour the couple.
At the time of his death, he was working on a book, Progress, in which he proposed to question conventional views and presumptions about the development of the human condition.
Sir Bernard Burrows was appointed Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG) in 1955 and the Grand Cross (GCMG) in 1970.