Biography
After his naval service he was a fruit farmer near Nelson BC before moving to Victoria BC.
He worked as a civilian employee of the Department of National Defence at Esquimalt BC and was active in the formation of the Royal Canadian Navy Fishermen's Reserve on the West Coast.
Military Service
He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR.
He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR.
He was appointed as a Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR.
He served in HMC ML-276 (In command) 1918, (Transferred to RCNVR).
He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (Temp.) RCNVR (With seniority dated 01/09/1939) (Mobilized for World War Two service 01/09/1939).
He served in RCN Barracks Esquimalt for Duty on Staff 1939.
In 1944 he served in HMCS Givenchy.
He was appointed as an A/Commander (Temp.) RCNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1944) (Later backdated to 1939). (He was demobilized.) (His Victoria Cross was won in the First World War on 10/05/1918 during a Motor Launch attack on the Belgian port of Ostend.)
Named Features
Bourke Rock (BC). Mount Bourke (BC).
Anecdotes
He attempted to join the Canadian Forces but was rejected due to poor eyesight.
He joined the RNVR in the UK.
References
- Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON
- Blatherwick, John (1992)
