Allegiance United Kingdom Rank Captain Service/branch Royal Navy | Died September 16, 1900 Name Maurice Bourke | |
Awards 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. 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. At the court martial Bourke was absolved of all blame. Bourke also became an extra equerry to Prince Alfred.
He was appointed Assistant Director of Torpedoes in 1895 and Senior Officer of the Newfoundland Fisheries Division in 1896. He went on to be Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty and died in office.