V.C. WINNER.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1920, Page 4

V.C. WINNER.

A HERO OF ZEEBRUGGE. LIEUT.-COMMANDER BOURKE. VISITOR TO NEW PLYMOUTH. A distinguished visitor to New Plymouth is Lieut.-Commander Bourke, V.C, D.5.0., who was in charge of motor launch 276, and engaged in blocking operations at Ostend in April and May, 1918. Accompanied by Mrs. Bourke, he arrived by the mail train last night, and will stay several days in New Plymouth. In the first Attack on Ostend, Commander Bourke rescued under heavy fire 38 officers and men of the blockship Brilliant, for which he was awarded the D.S.O. In the second attack on Ostend, following the Vindictive into the harbor, ho in his little craft engaged the enemy's machine grins on both piers with Lewis guns. Later, hearing cries of distress, he again entered the harbor, and, although under a very heavy fire at close range all the time, continued searching until he rescued Sir John AUeyne and his ratings, all badly, wounded. In spite of two of his crew being killed, several wounded, and nit boat hit in 55 places and kadly damaged, he cooly completed his work and; brought her out. For thiß he was awarded the V.C.

THE ZEEBRUGGE RAID. In an interview with a Daily News representative Commander Bourke related many thrilling experiences. In April, 1918, the raid on Zeebragge came off. For that job two classes of volunteers were needed. From the Nayy 1890 volunteers were called for, and within 49 hours there were JSOO vblttn< teers for the block ships and landing parties. Motor launches were required to bring off the crews after they had fcw ished their work. lieut.-CommandßT Bourke endeavoured to get in, but Ms eyesight stood in his way, and he «ug» gested that he should be allowed to participate as a stand-by motor launch. All will remember how the Vindictive Iris and Daffodil, under a heavy smoke screen, dashed into Zeebragge under a hail of, fire; how the block ships, filled with concrete, sunk in the harbor, and the Vindictive brought back the remnants of crews. Simultaneously an attempt was made to raid Ostend, but owing to a guiding buoy having been removed and a change of wind assisting the enemy smoke screen, the Brilliant and the Sirius both went ashore under heavy fire. The motor launch detailed to take the crew of the Brilliant off (after she was sunk in the harbor) dashed in to pick up the crew, but was disabled by shell-Are, and iiettt.Commander Bourke got his chance. He ran in, pieked up the Brilliant's crew, and towed the disabled launch to Dunkirk. The Brilliant was under heavy shell fire, which, fortunately, was comparatively inaccurate. Gommander Godsail was the last to leave the Brilliant, and for his gallantry was given command of the Vindictive on the occasion of the second raid.

THE SECOND RAID. That took place just three weeks later, to be precise on May 10, 1918. Just when the London papers were asking that the Vindictive should be exhibited in the Thames as another Victory, she was receiving a cargo of concrete consigned to Ostend. The Germans afterwards stated that no concrete was found in the Vindictive, but Commander Bourke personally saw bags being filled with concrete and placed in the warship. That it was an effective block was proved after the German evacuation, for the enemy had been unable to shift any of the sunken block ships. The second raid on Ostend was nude under a heavy smoke screen. The Vindictive arrived at her buoy on time—the whole operation was time-tabled— but the Sappho broke down. She got within haif a mile of the piers in smoke and fog, and under a barrage, but could not locate the piers and had to manoeuvre for about forty minutes. Then a coastal motor boat found, the piers ana let go a Dover flare (which is equal to a million candle power, and has a light radius of four miles). The flare lit up the channel, and the Vindictive, at top speed, made for the entrance. The "fire was so heavy that Godsall and his officers had to retire from the bridge to the armored conning tower. On getting inside the harbor he came out of the tower, and a shell burst against it, killing him on the spot —in the moment of his success. Lieut. Cru'tchley took over command, and finding the vessel aground forward, ordered the Braking charges to be fired. Drummond's launch—the commander wounded in three places, his lieutenant killed, and some of the seamen wounded—dashed in and took her crew.off, and after searching the sinking ship for any survivors, pushed off and proceeded to sea. Drummond got his V;C. His third mechanic, named Puloford, belongs to Wellington.

WINNING THE V:C. As a stand-by, Commander Bourkc got in close enough to play upon the enemy on the piers with Lewia guns, and hia Sub-lieutenant I'etrie blew the glass out of the lighthouses 011 the ends,of the piers, and was given the D.S.C. for his during. As Drummond came out, Botirke went inside, shouting to 254 as he passed to see if they had picked up all the survivors. But the noise wag go great that no answer was heard, so Bourke decided to carry on, and went slowly into the harbor. The engines were stopped whilst they shouted for any possible survivors. Once they fancied that a cry was heard, but on second thoughts fancied it might be Eng-lish-speaking Huns shouting in order to deceive them with the idea of wipinfi them out. A six-inch shell had passed through the dinghy, and bullets were hitting the launch continuously, but the smoke was too dense for anyone to see anything much. They were about ten minutes, and were turning round to go out again, when they picked up an officer and two men of the Vindictive, all wounded, clinging to the bottom of an upturned skiff, it was then a case of full speed ahead through the pi»ra ooif out to sea. Tor that night'a work Lieut.Commandcr Boiirke was given the V(J,