A NAVAL HERO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 77, 24 December 1919, Page 8

A NAVAL HERO

LIEUT.-COMMANDER BOURKE, V.C. WELCOME TO WELLINGTON NEED FOR AN IMPERIAL NAVY . "I think myself that New Zealand was never.in greater Jieed than now of an Imperial Navy, capable, in the event of war, of keeping an enemy fleet from putting to sea." This was the opinion ex-, pressed by Lieut.-Cornmander Roland Bourke, V.C, D.5.0., Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, when responding to a welcome extended to him in tho Concert Chamber of the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Commander Bourke, who is accompanied by his wife, is tho first naval V.C. to visit the Dominion, nnd was in charge of Motor Launch 276 at the blocking operations at Ostend in April nnd May, 1018. At the first attack on Ostend he won the D.5.0., and at the second, wlicn the famous Vindictive was sunk in tho entrance of the harbour, he won tho V.C. and tho Legion of Honour. While in the Dominion, Lieut.-Commantler Bourke will deliver a series of lecture.? tinder the auspices of the Navy League, in which he will narrate the glorious exploits of tho Navy, in the operations at Zoebruige and Ostend. i . Among those present at tho reception .yesterday were Colonel G. F. C. Campbell. C.M.G., His Honour Mr. Juntieo Hosking, Captain T. H. Chudlev, E.N.8.. Commander C. J. Keily, R.N., and Messrs. J. P. Firth. Barry Keesing. and R. Darroch, hon. secretary of the Navy League. In ■welcoming Lieut.-Commnnder Bourko and Mrs. Bourke, Colonel Campbell apologised for the absence of the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), who was out of town, and several members of the Navy Lpngiie. The citizens, said Oolonnl Campbell, would heartilv welcome LieulCommamler Bourlco to tliese shores. I Aγplnuse.) Tho auxiliaries to the Navy and Army had excreted a wonderful influence in helping to achieve the great victory of tho Allies over Germany. It was duo to the inherent maritime infitincts in the British people that tho Navy nnd the mercantile marine had played a glorious nart in the war. In New Zealand the Navy League, was endeavouring to quicken the- maritime intinct among the younj? people of Hip Dominion, and tho people here should keep in mind the great possibilities thnt lay in the possession of efficient nnval auxiliary services. Do=pi(o the uncivilised methods of the Tluns, the British sailors showed that they still nosfwseil thnt indomitable spirit that characterised the men who fought under NefEon. (Applause.) "It is a great pleasure for my wife and for me to have tho opportunity of meeting tlio piemlwr.' if ''■" >*ivy League and their friends h°re thin afternoon," enid Liciit.-Cnmmnndpr Bourke in reply. "We greatly appreciate the kindness of ovcrybody. especially I'-.p ladies, in turning out on a day liko thifl. Personally, T should not have dnie it." (Lauirhter.) Lieut-Commaidpr Biurlcp mentioned that lie was not in New Zealand in an official capacity, therefore any opinions expressed by. him were simply his <wn personal yiows. Tip iriSs merely in Now Zealand on a holiday, nnd, incidentally, nndor tho auspices of tlw Navy Lc.ngup. telling Iho story of tho doi.nps of tho Navy at Oste"'i nnd Zecbruprse.

"I think myself th.it Not Zeolnmi was never in theater noocl than now nf an Imperial Navy, capable, in the event of war, of keeping an enemy flept from putting to sen," ho added. "I have como to this conclusion after my experience working with monitors on the Belgian const. ', The monitors patrolled up the Belgian coast. dniJv. escorted by destroyers, and bombarded whenever they "hrished to. # The(r went within ten and twenty miles of the roast in broad daylight and. under cover of a smoke screen, bombarded with absolute impunity. The motor launches made a dense bank of smoke between the monitors ai'd tho enemy shore batteries, and I don't knoiy of a single instance of ft monitor being hit bv an onomy shell throughout the operations.' If Ostend had not been a Belgii'n town thn monitors could quite easily haw destroyed it. In the biggest lxmihardmoiit there were eight monitors, with 12in. iind ISin. guns, and each monitor was firing at the rnte of one round every thirty seconds. Each 6liell was eapabls of completely wrecking <a big building. If this terrific fire bad been concentrated on Ostend instead of on the enemy batteries and coastal defences, you can imagine what tho effect would have been. Almost all the important towns in New Zealand are on or near the coast , .'and in the' event of war and the Imperial Navy being defeated, there is nothing to prevent the enemy from coming within ten or twenty miles of tho coast in the. daytime, under cover of a smoke -screen- and destroying town after town with, impunity. Tho enemy had batteries on the Belgian coast mounting 225 guns along a stretch of twelve miles, and J36 of these guns were from Gin. to l!iin., tho big guns ranging un to twenty miles. If the New Zealand batteries mounted the same number of gun* ner milo as the enemy did on the Belgian const— 'which, of course, is quite impossible— they would still be absolutely powerless to 'prevent an enemy fleet in the daytime, under cover of a. emoke screen, from destroying town after town. It is ot. account of this that T have come to ths conclusion myself that the only safety for the towns of New Jfrilnml in tho event of war is to have an Imperial Navy, capable of holding tho enemy navy from proceed in? to sro. I" w'pr to have a strong Navy it is that you should have a strong Navv Lranie, and I think thero was no time when the Wk of the Navy league was of greater importance than.now." Lieut.-Commander Tiourkc concluded by congratulating the Wellington branch of the Navv Lewie on tho splendid won; it was doing in tho schooK and on its very large junior membership.