Maurice Bourke

Maurice Bourke
Born	22 December 1853
Died	16 September 1900
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Captain
Awards	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Captain The Hon. Maurice Archibald Bourke CMG (22 December 1853 – 16 September 1900) was a Royal Navy officer who became Naval Secretary.

Naval career

Born the son of Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, Bourke joined the Royal Navy in 1867 and advanced to command HMS Surprise, Prince Alfred's Royal Yacht in the late 1880s.^[1] In 1891 he was made Flag Captain of HMS Victoria. On 22 June 1893, while manoeuvring under the orders of the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, Victoria collided with Camperdown near Tripoli, Lebanon and quickly sank, taking 358 crew with her, including Tryon.^[2] At the court martial Bourke was absolved of all blame.^[3] Bourke also became an extra equerry to Prince Alfred.^[4]

He was appointed Assistant Director of Torpedos in 1895 and Senior Officer of the Newfoundland Fisheries Division in 1896.^[5] He went on to be Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty^[6] and died in office.^[7]

References

1. ^ The Story of my life Part 4 by Marie, Queen of Rumania The Saturday Evening Post, 6 January 1934
2. ^ The Times, 24 June 1893, issue 33986, page 7, 'Terrible naval disaster'
3. ^ Andrew Gordon, The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command, John Murray, p.274
4. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1894 p. 94
5. ^ Naval & Military Intelligence, The Times, 17 April 1896
6. ^ Senior Royal Naval Appointments
7. ^ Obituary: Captain Maurice Bourke, The Times, 19 September 1900

Military offices
Preceded by Wilmot Fawkes	Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty 1899–1900	Succeeded by Wilmot Fawkes

Persondata
Name	Bourke, Maurice
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	22 December 1853
Place of birth
Date of death	16 September 1900
Place of death