Maurice Archibald Bourke

Captain THE HONOURABLE Maurice Archibald Bourke, C.M.G., Royal Navy (22 December, 1853 – 16 September, 1900) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Bourke was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1883.

He visited the port of Mahon in Minorca, Spain from 16-17 May, 1888, while in command of the third class protected cruiser Surprise.

Bourke was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1889. He was appointed in command of the battleship Victoria on 20 August, 1891.

On 29 January, 1892, Victoria ran aground under his command at Snipe Point near Platea on the Greek coast despite his precautions in setting out buoys in anticipate trouble areas. Bourke was subjected to the customary Court Martial stretching from 20-26 February and was severely reprimanded and admonished to be more careful in future. As events would prove, such cautions would prove insufficient.

Loss of H.M.S. Victoria

An officer in H.M.S. Nile wrote shortly afterwards, "We had the Captain on board. I never saw a man so broken down. He did not know how to stand nor which way to look and always had his hand over his face on deck. Down below he sat all day long with his face buried in his arms and I don't believe he ate anything at all."

Later Career

On 17 January, 1895, Bourke was appointed Assistant Director of Torpedoes at the Admiralty. On 12 November he was appointed in command of the corvette Cordelia, and as Commodore, Second Class when Senior Officer of the Newfoundland Fisheries Division. He hoisted his broad pendant during the Fishery Seasons from 27 April, 1896, to 24 October, 1896, from 29 April, 1897, to 5 November, 1897, and from 26 April, 1898, to 8 November, 1898. He gave up command of Cordelia on 14 December, 1898, and went on leave until 23 January, 1899. He then went on half pay before being appointed Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty on 20 November, 1899. Bourke died at Swansea on 16 September, 1900.

Bibliography

• "Obituary" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 19 September, 1900. Issue 36251, col F, p. 4.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/38.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/19.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Surprise 25 Jul, 1887	Succeeded by Philip F. Tillard
Preceded by Sydney M. Eardley Wilmot	Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence, Foreign Division 1 Apr, 1890 – 28 Aug, 1891	Succeeded by The Hon. Assheton G. Curzon-Howe
Preceded by John C. Burnell	Captain of H.M.S. Victoria 20 Aug, 1891 – 22 Jun, 1893	Succeeded by Vessel Lost
Preceded by William H. May	Assistant Director of Torpedoes 17 Jan, 1895 – 12 Nov, 1895	Succeeded by Sir Baldwin W. Walker
Preceded by Harry T. Grenfell	Captain of H.M.S. Cordelia 12 Nov, 1895 – 14 Dec, 1898	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Wilmot H. Fawkes	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 20 Nov, 1899 – 16 Sep, 1900	Succeeded by Wilmot H. Fawkes