The last blog brought you the story of pilot John Carey Morgan who had broken his neck and could not get in the American services so he came north to Canada, enlisted, went off to war and became a hero earning the Medal of Honor. Well, today's story is another with similar circumstances. But this time the fellow was ruled disabled and not fit for military service in Canada and so he went south, then east and then off to Europe where he also became a hero earning not one but two countries top medals for honor and bravery.
Rowland Richard Bourke was born near London England and at about age 17 he moved to Canada and ventured to the Klondike. A few years later he moved to the Nelson area where he joined up with some relatives to work their farm. While trying to clear the land he was blowing up stumps when a premature igniting of a fuse resulted in an accident killing one of his relatives. He lost an eye in the accident. After that the family left Canada and went to New Zealand. But it was only a few years before Rowland was back in Canada farming at a place called 9 Mile. Then WW1 broke out and Rowland knew that his calling was to put on the uniform and fight for the cause. But with a loss of 50% of his sight, the army, navy and airforce rejected his enlistment attempts. Not detered he decided to travel south to the US and get some flight training. Before leaving his home town he signed some land over to the authorities so that they could auction it off with the funds to go to supporting veterans and their families. Bourke had to pay for his own way to California and also to take flight lessons. He was awarded a "Flying Certificate" to operate "aero planes."
Rowland Richard Bourke was born near London England and at about age 17 he moved to Canada and ventured to the Klondike. A few years later he moved to the Nelson area where he joined up with some relatives to work their farm. While trying to clear the land he was blowing up stumps when a premature igniting of a fuse resulted in an accident killing one of his relatives. He lost an eye in the accident. After that the family left Canada and went to New Zealand. But it was only a few years before Rowland was back in Canada farming at a place called 9 Mile. Then WW1 broke out and Rowland knew that his calling was to put on the uniform and fight for the cause. But with a loss of 50% of his sight, the army, navy and airforce rejected his enlistment attempts. Not detered he decided to travel south to the US and get some flight training. Before leaving his home town he signed some land over to the authorities so that they could auction it off with the funds to go to supporting veterans and their families. Bourke had to pay for his own way to California and also to take flight lessons. He was awarded a "Flying Certificate" to operate "aero planes."
Bourke would then pay his own way to Britain and there he found entry into the navy less restrictive than in Canada and soon he would be enlisted in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. Entering service as a Sub Lieutenant in 1915, he'd be promoted to Lt within 2 years. By 1918 he would be in command of a small Motor Boat and play a key role in the attempts to close off the harbours at Ostend Belgium and Zeebrugge some 20 miles north east of there. Both of these led to water routes that allowed access to German U Boats stations along the route to Brugge. From there they would supply and service U Boats that made their way out into the Atlantic and engage in the Battle of the Atlantic. If these harbours could be blocked the German subs within these waterways would be useless. Worse yet for Germany, those intending to cross the Atlantic would then have a much longer and dangerous route to cross over to North Americans waters. Zeebrugge and Ostend were the most havily defended of all German held harbours.
In April and May 1918 efforts were taken to block both harbours. And Bourke tried his best to get into the thick of things. His sight problem had caught up with him and most officials tried their darndest to keep him out of harms way. He volunteered repeatedly to be allowed into the front lines and finally was allowed to command a backup vessel during the first blockade attempt. This was at Zeebrugge harbour on 23 April.
The men involved in the attack were told that they were not expected to come back, But that detered no one. Bourke's vessel was finally called into action and the voluteers onboard raced into the harbour to save many survivors that had be struggling in the water when their vessel was sunk. Bourke's crew pulled 38 men out of the water. And if that was not enough, before all was done his crew would also tow another Motor Boat off to safety after it became disabled. The picture here is not of his Motor Boat but is the same type that he would have commanded. Bourke would be awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his actions that night. A DSO is only one medal lower in the British Empire's ranking of bravery awards below the highest medal for bravery... the Victoria Cross.
The men involved in the attack were told that they were not expected to come back, But that detered no one. Bourke's vessel was finally called into action and the voluteers onboard raced into the harbour to save many survivors that had be struggling in the water when their vessel was sunk. Bourke's crew pulled 38 men out of the water. And if that was not enough, before all was done his crew would also tow another Motor Boat off to safety after it became disabled. The picture here is not of his Motor Boat but is the same type that he would have commanded. Bourke would be awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his actions that night. A DSO is only one medal lower in the British Empire's ranking of bravery awards below the highest medal for bravery... the Victoria Cross.
In early May the allies would attempt to seal off the Ostend Harbour but met with very heavy enemy resistance. When Britain's HMS Vindictive was sunk there were many survivors struggling in the water that were themselves under extreme enemy fire. Word got back to Bourke, pictured to right, who again took his boat and crew into the harbour not once or twice or three times... but four times each again under disastrous fire in search of survivors. This time his crew saved another three men. Two of his own crew paid with their lives and several others were wounded. Bourke would later be awarded the Victoria Cross for this action. It would be one of only three being awarded for the Ostend harbour blocking attempt. His boat would be hit 55 times by enemy fire.
Bourke's VC would be pinned on his chest by HRH King Geroge V at Buckingham Palace. Bourke would also be awarded with France's Legion of Honor (Chevalier) which is France's equivalent to the VC and the US equivalent to the Medal of Honor. These deeds saw Bourke promoted to Lt. Commander and after returning to civilian life back in BC he would still work with the Volunteer Navy and helped set up a fisherman's patrol along the Pacific Coast line. He would work for many years as a supervisor at the Naval base and would also serve in a recruiting function during WW11.
He and his wife would live in Esquimalt for many years and on passing he received a miltary service and was laid to rest at the Royal Oak Burial Park . His wife would later join him in the same plot. This park and others including myself has joined forces to see the creation of a larger and more prominent marker at his grave and anticipate a formal unveiling ceremony possibly in May of this year... perhaps even on the 10th... the 95th anniversary of the Ostend deed in which he was awarded his Victoria Cross.
Later that month a refurbished monument will be unveiled at Ostend Belgium. This monument commemorates the actions of Bourke and many others sailors and more particularly the men of the HMS Vindictive that was sunk at that battle. That ceremony will be attended by Belgium's King and Queen and it is anticipated that a representative from the British Monarchy will also be in attendance. There will also be many other officials attended including service groups and relatives of those who served. There may also be attendance from BC as well.
Bart
Bourke's VC would be pinned on his chest by HRH King Geroge V at Buckingham Palace. Bourke would also be awarded with France's Legion of Honor (Chevalier) which is France's equivalent to the VC and the US equivalent to the Medal of Honor. These deeds saw Bourke promoted to Lt. Commander and after returning to civilian life back in BC he would still work with the Volunteer Navy and helped set up a fisherman's patrol along the Pacific Coast line. He would work for many years as a supervisor at the Naval base and would also serve in a recruiting function during WW11.
He and his wife would live in Esquimalt for many years and on passing he received a miltary service and was laid to rest at the Royal Oak Burial Park . His wife would later join him in the same plot. This park and others including myself has joined forces to see the creation of a larger and more prominent marker at his grave and anticipate a formal unveiling ceremony possibly in May of this year... perhaps even on the 10th... the 95th anniversary of the Ostend deed in which he was awarded his Victoria Cross.
Later that month a refurbished monument will be unveiled at Ostend Belgium. This monument commemorates the actions of Bourke and many others sailors and more particularly the men of the HMS Vindictive that was sunk at that battle. That ceremony will be attended by Belgium's King and Queen and it is anticipated that a representative from the British Monarchy will also be in attendance. There will also be many other officials attended including service groups and relatives of those who served. There may also be attendance from BC as well.
Bart
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