Maurice Archibald Bourke

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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.[1]

He visited the port of Mahon in Minorca, Spain from 16-17 May, 1888, while in command of the third class protected cruiser Surprise.[2]

Bourke was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1889.[3] He was appointed in command of the battleship Victoria on 20 August, 1891.[4]

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.[5]

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."[6]

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

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Surprise
25 Jul, 1887[7]
Succeeded by
Philip F. Tillard
Preceded by
Sydney M. Eardley Wilmot
Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence, Foreign Division
1 Apr, 1890[8] – 28 Aug, 1891[9]
Succeeded by
The Hon. Assheton G. Curzon-Howe
Preceded by
John C. Burnell
Captain of H.M.S. Victoria
20 Aug, 1891[10][11] – 22 Jun, 1893
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost
Preceded by
William H. May
Assistant Director of Torpedoes
17 Jan, 1895[12] – 12 Nov, 1895[13]
Succeeded by
Sir Baldwin W. Walker
Preceded by
Harry T. Grenfell
Captain of H.M.S. Cordelia
12 Nov, 1895[14] – 14 Dec, 1898[15]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Wilmot H. Fawkes
Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
20 Nov, 1899[16] – 16 Sep, 1900[17]
Succeeded by
Wilmot H. Fawkes

Footnotes

  1. The London Gazette: no. 25303. p. 1. 1 January, 1884.
  2. Naval historian Antonio Moreno García, document mailed to us 20240426.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 26007. p. 7553. 31 December, 1889.
  4. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, 6 August, 1891. Issue 33396, col E, p. 4.
  5. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  6. Quoted in Welch. "The Loss of HMS Victoria". Naval Review. p. 244.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1888). p. 232.
  8. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 133.
  9. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 49.
  10. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 6 August, 1891. Issue 33396, col E, p. 4.
  11. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 133.
  12. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  13. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  14. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  15. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  16. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.
  17. Bourke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 132.