Roland Richard Louis Bourke
Encyclopedia
Roland Richard Louis Bourke, VC
, DSO
(1885 – 1958) was a Canadian
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Bourke was born in London, England and emigrated to Canada. He returned to the UK on the outbreak of World War I
to enlist in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War when the following deed took place in the Second Ostend Raid
for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 and 10 May 1918 at Ostend
, Belgium
, after HMS Vindictive
's crew had been taken off, Lieutenant Bourke, commanding Motor Launch 276, went into the harbour to check that everybody had got away. After searching and finding no one, he withdrew, but hearing cries from the water he turned back, found an officer and two seamen clinging to an up-turned boat, and rescued them. During this time the motor launch was under very heavy fire and was hit 55 times, once by a 6-inch shell which killed two of her crew and did considerable damage. Lieutenant Bourke, however, managed to take her into the open sea, and was taken in tow.
He later achieved the rank of Commander. Grave/memorial at Buried at Royal Oak Burial Park, Falaise Drive, Victoria, British Columbia
, Canada. Section O. Plot 10. Grave 16. Headstone.
Remembering Commander Bourke:
The Canadian Hydrographic Service named Mount Bourke in 1945. It is located southwest of Megin Lake and northeast of Hot Springs Cove, north of Tofino, BC. Specifically, Mount Bourke is located at latitude 49°27'56 and longitude 126°11'02.
HMCS Malahat, Victoria’s Naval Reserve Division, honours B.C. hero Cmdr. Rowland Bourke at his gravesite in Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria, B.C. with a graveside ceremony each
Remembrance Day.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1885 – 1958) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Bourke was born in London, England and emigrated to Canada. He returned to the UK on the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to enlist in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
Action
He was 32 years old, and a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War when the following deed took place in the Second Ostend Raid
Second Ostend Raid
The Second Ostend Raid was the latter of two failed attempts made during the spring of 1918 by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy to block the channels accessing the Belgian port of Ostend as a part of their conflict with the German Empire during World War I...
for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 and 10 May 1918 at Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, after HMS Vindictive
HMS Vindictive (1897)
HMS Vindictive was a British protected cruiser of the Arrogant class built at Chatham Dockyard. She was launched on 9 December 1897 and completed in 1899....
's crew had been taken off, Lieutenant Bourke, commanding Motor Launch 276, went into the harbour to check that everybody had got away. After searching and finding no one, he withdrew, but hearing cries from the water he turned back, found an officer and two seamen clinging to an up-turned boat, and rescued them. During this time the motor launch was under very heavy fire and was hit 55 times, once by a 6-inch shell which killed two of her crew and did considerable damage. Lieutenant Bourke, however, managed to take her into the open sea, and was taken in tow.
He later achieved the rank of Commander. Grave/memorial at Buried at Royal Oak Burial Park, Falaise Drive, Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada. Section O. Plot 10. Grave 16. Headstone.
Remembering Commander Bourke:
The Canadian Hydrographic Service named Mount Bourke in 1945. It is located southwest of Megin Lake and northeast of Hot Springs Cove, north of Tofino, BC. Specifically, Mount Bourke is located at latitude 49°27'56 and longitude 126°11'02.
HMCS Malahat, Victoria’s Naval Reserve Division, honours B.C. hero Cmdr. Rowland Bourke at his gravesite in Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria, B.C. with a graveside ceremony each
Remembrance Day.