Adopted in Place Names of Alberta, published in 1928 by the Geographic Board of Canada, in turn as labelled on BC-Alberta boundary map #7, surveyed in 1916, published in 1917.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Named by interprovincial boundary surveyors, "after Private Michael James O'Rourke, VC, 1st British Columbia Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force; for three days and nights in August 1917, Private O'Rourke who was a stretcher person worked unceasingly in bringing the wounded into safety, dressing them and getting them food and water."

Source: Place Names of Alberta; published for the Geographic Board by Department of Interior, Ottawa, 1928.

“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during prolonged operations. For three days and nights Pte. O’Rourke, who is a stretcher-bearer, worked unceasingly in bringing the wounded into safety, dressing them, and getting them food and water. During the whole of his period the area in which he worked was subjected to very severe shelling and swept by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. On several occasions he was knocked down and partially buried by enemy shells. Seeing a comrade who had been blinded stumbling around ahead of our trench, in full view of the enemy who were sniping him, Pte. O’Rourke jumped out of his trench and brought the man back, being himself heavily sniped at while doing so. Again he went forward about 50 yards in front of our barrage under very heavy and accurate fire from enemy machine guns and snipers, and brought in a comrade. On a subsequent occasion, when the line of advanced posts was retired to the line to be consolidated, he went forward under very heavy enemy fire of every description and brought back a wounded man who had been left behind. He showed throughout an absolute disregard for his own safety, going wherever there were wounded to succour, and his magnificent courage and devotion in continuing his rescue work, in spite of exhaustion and the incessant heavy enemy fire of every description, inspired all ranks and undoubtedly saved many lives.” (O'Rourke's Citation for the Victoria Cross, published in The London Gazette, 8 November 1917)

Source: included with note

"Michael James O’Rourke, 39, had already earned the Military Medal for bravery at Monquet Farm on the Somme in 1916. From August 15-17, 1917 — during the first phase of the fighting around Hill 70 [nears Lens, France] — the former British Columbia lumberjack, serving as a stretcher-bearer with the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion, went without sleep to tend the wounded. He continually left the trenches to venture into no man’s land to bring food and water to injured comrades. And while doing that, O’Rourke exposed himself to severe shelling, machine-gun and rifle fire. Several times he was knocked down and partially buried by mud when shells exploded near him. When O’Rourke noticed a blinded soldier staggering about in clear view of the enemy, he leapt from the trench and guided the wounded man back through heavy rifle fire. On another occasion he ran forward in the face of machine-gun and sniper fire to rescue a wounded man. And later—when the battalion line of advanced posts was retired to the line to be consolidated—O’Rourke went out to save a wounded soldier who had been left behind." (excerpt from Legion Magazine, Hand to Hand on Hill 18: part 8 of 18, by Arthur Bishop, March 2005)

Source: included with note