GLORIOUS EXPLOITS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 80, 30 December 1919, Page 5

GLORIOUS EXPLOITS

THE OSTEND AND ZEEBRUGGE RAIDS LECTURE BY LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER BOURKE, V.C Much light was thrown on the notablei exploit tho British Navy performed when it blocked the porta of Zcebrugge and Ostend. by Lieut.-Commandcr Bourke, V.C, D.S'.O., Chevalier of tho Legion of Honour, in tho course of a lecture in tlio Concert Chamber of tho Town Hall last evening, The lecture, which was profusely illustrated with lantern, slides of official photographs, was delivered under tho auspice.-; of tho local branch of tho Navy League, Several hundred persons were present, and Mr. Ditrroch, secretary of the league, presided. Mr. Darrnch said that before-the war Lieut.-Commandcr Bourke was running n fruit farm at Nelson, British Columbia, and incidentally running a motor 'launch on tho lakes there. On joining up for service with tho Navy ho was at the outset placed in charge of a motor launch engaged in patrol work, submarine chasing, and tliC|/ike. On the occasion of tho first attack on Ostend he was in charge of Motor Launch 276, and owing to his bravery ho won the D.S.O. At the second attack on Ostend ho was awarded tho most coveted of all honours, tho V.C, also the French Legion of Honour, Tho particular incident which won for him this high distinction was the rescue of the last three survivors of tho Vindictive, who wero badly wounded and were clinging to an upturned skiff. The rescue was accomplished under firo and at great personal risk. (Applause.) Lieut.-Commonder Bourke detailed the elaborate preparations which, under cover of secrecy, were carried out prior to tho operations. As showing the extremely hazardous nature of tho task involved in these, tho two greatest cutttingout expeditions in British naval history, tho lecturer described tho heavy coastal defences operated by tho enemy along tho sector attacked,- comprising 225 guns, 13G of which wero from six to fifteen-inch calibre. Prior to the raid on Ostend and Zeebruggo a coll was issued for IGCO volunteers for tho expedition, and, as typifying tho magnificent spirit of tho Navy, within 48 hours 3500 officers and men responded, and difficulty was experienced in selecting tho required number. Tho volunteers from tho motor launch section were detailed to rescuo tho crews of tho vessels engaged in tho operation. At tho eleventh hour mi cpnortuiiitv was offered to any of tho volunteers who wishe'd, on account of home ties, to withdraw from (ho expedition to do so. ' Not one man, however, pulled out. (Applause.) Tho operations wero timed to take place during tho period'of high water|off tho Belgian coast—at midnight. Accordingly on April 23, 1918,/ the attacks on Ostond and Zeebrugge were carried out simultaneously. '

Describing tho raid m Zeebrugge, Lieutonant Bourke said that the Vindictive was duo alongside tho molo at midnight, and sho actually breasted her objective, despite tho heavy bombardment sho had been subjected to, precisely one minute after that hour. Her companion ships tho Iris and tho Daffodil, arrivod on the scene threo or four minutes late> as arranged. Immediately sho emerged trom the protective smoke-screen thrown by the British ships, the Vindictivo was under continuous sholl-iiro and suffered many casualties. Nevertheless sho rained her objoctivo and in tho face' of almost insuperable difficulties and dangers the landing was effected and the German battery silenced.

Deeds That Will Live, Little short of miraculous was the hazardous exploit performed by the.crew ot the submarine detailed to make a breach m the steel viaduct conneotine X ™ T th i X pl ? 3,v - es and in ««> 'ace of heavy h te she drove right in , „d or the viaduct. Tho fuse was then lit, and the gallant crew to.ok to their i.oats ad I led seawards When they were son c -W vards distant the submarine blew ~, S "* ", b ««* of K» in th v £ Mile sho was under way not'i ing on earth could save 'them "om being blown to atoms. Yet to a man they never flinched, and carried out kilT IV ' oH(! . erful «»K and skill. Many other stirring deeds whir Mas s asRsS '52 Jn VT'if •' * h « ««■ imck on board the various craft n„ gaged-a wonderful record en "

Some New Zealand Volunteers, Lieut.-Commnnder Bourko told also of Wtf™ -Bainst 0 tend the tm» ? vhl f\ m th ° night of April "a fuKfe f llOSeco,ul a " d 6 » : oessiai attack took place on Mav 1(1 fnl ItTk U W ;\ in this latter MS that the much-battered Vindic ive ,un Bhfn ged ln h th^ erUy - timo *• a &c£ several New f^ U T a * aiMt ost ™« tfn» •i j glanders rendered dis'Kler -of™/; »»„ ? j ' f . AlJ ckland, though bndiv wounded, carried on uj.der heavy h'l and beforo he died some few weeks Int.; It>L a ~ Llcut °nant Kiricwood another Aucklander, who was also a snecial graft tstts-s $« l W ( ly ° n ?? ard lko S! »°° ™°ch as among those who d.sting 6 ,!K" ; im / and ha gained a D.S.M. Two other AVoV Hto? boys, Lieutenant ','Bill '• j}± »fttth iU T ? !mnj '" Tun »U took ■The slides shown during thn Win™ s; vo ilei; f t imi,rc f iT » ™* ««SS» ff 'i i e " l - ;C ommander Bourke who was loudly applauded and T-u ft thanked for his lecture, will w'l this evening in tho Concert Ch am b er