BLOCKING BELGIAN PORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1920, Page 8

BLOCKING BELGIAN PORTS.

LECTURE BY LIEUT.-COMMANDER BOURKE, V.C. On Tuesday evening, at the Empire Theatre, Lieut.-Commander Bourke, V.C., who won the supreme distinction of the Victoria Cross at the storming oi Ostond, will deliver a lecture on this thrilling episode of the Navy's part in the war, illustrating his remarks by means of a large number of excellent lantern slides, some of the photographs from which these slides are taken being now on view in the window of the shop lately occupied by Messrs Auld. In reporting on the lecture by I.ieut.-Comman-der Bourke at Auckland, the Star said: "The inteersting details of the secret preparations fo r assault, and the actual attack itself held the close attention of the audience throughout the evening. Having himself played a very conspicuous part in the operations lie described, the commander was able to bring the whole memorable scene before the minds of his hearers ns no mere printed or second-hand verbal recital could ever do. With an excellent lantern and the special Admiralty slides which he had at his disposal he reinforced the effect of his words, so that no one who heard and saw could be excused from carrying away a clear understanding of the stupendous task the Navy undertook on that occasion. and a sincere admiration for the spirit of gallantry and self-sacrifice which imbued all who shared in the exnloit. He carried his audience with him through the countless operations of offence and defence, showing and explaining by a wealth of pictures the different classes of vessels engaged, and landed his hearers on the mole of Zephruggc on that memorable night when the Vindictive and her friends hurst through the smoke screen, and dashed in under a withering fire. The assault on the mole and the blowing up of the viaduct were most graphically described by word and pictures. The lecturer interspersed his narrative with numerous incidents of individual risk, flaring, and suffering. Mans and pictures made nlain the nature of the canals, and the invaluable work accomplished by the sinking of the blockshipe.