William Bourke

Started his career as a clerk and ledger keeper in Invercargill, moving to Gisborne in1930, just before the Napier earthquake.  Here he was Accountant to the Poverty Bay Electric Power bBoard, a post he held until his retirement in1958.  He had been an active member of the NZTerritorial Army prior to WWii and in 1939 he volunteered for active service.  He served with the rank of Captain in the 22 Battalion from 1939 until 1942, first in Kent, England, during hte latter half of 1940 (Battle of Britain) and then in Greece and Crete.  He was invalided home in January 1942 for medical reasons.  THe Army kept him on as Area Staff Officer in Gisborne until mid 1946 where he was responsible for mobilising etc recruits and returning soldiers and for the care and custody of military stores in the East Coast Area.  After this he returned to the Power Board.  On retirement he and Eleanor took over a small orchard in Kerikeri. Finally this became too much of a burden and they moved to a small suburban home in Kerikeri.  He was active in the GIsborne and Kerikeri branches of the Returned Services Association.

Information from Paddy Bourke