Lieutenant William Barnard RHODES-MOORHOUSE VC
Royal Flying Corps
William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse 1887-1915
William Moorhouse was born in London in September 1887, the son of Edward and Mary Ann Moorhouse. His mother was of Maori descent. There were four children – William and his sisters Anne and Mary and their brother Edward. The family moved to Northamptonshire in 1887, living first at Lamport Hall and moving to Spratton Grange in 1899. William was a pioneer in flying both in Northamptonshire and nationally and was regularly seen in the skies of the county in his Bleriot XI type monoplane. In 1912 he added Rhodes to his surname to comply with the terms of his grandfather’s will.
He volunteered immediately war was declared and joined the Royal Flying Corps in August 1914. He was first sent to Farnborough Naval Air Station workshops and was in charge of inspecting engines for the RFC aeroplanes. In March 1915 he joined No 2 Squadron at Merville in northern France and began work as a reconnaissance pilot flying BE2 bi-planes.
On 26 April 1915 he was sent on a dangerous mission that was to earn him the Victoria Cross. The citation reads:
“….for most conspicuous bravery in flying to Courtrai and dropping bombs on the railway line near that station. On starting the return journey he was mortally wounded, but succeeded in flying for 35 miles to his destination, at very low altitude, and reported the successful accomplishment of his object. He has since died of his wounds. This officer was flying a BE2b.”
William Rhodes-Moorhouse was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross and promoted to Lieutenant (backdated to 24th April 1915). He was also awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His body was returned to England and buried in Parnham in Dorset. He is remembered in Spratton with a commemorative stone in the centre of the village and on the Spratton War Memorial. He is also remembered on the War Memorials at Lamport, Northamptonshire, and Beaminster, Dorset. Beaminster also has a commemorative stone. His name is at the head of a list of air VCs in the RAF church of St Clement Dane in London. His medals, including the Victoria Cross, are on display in the Imperial War Museum, London.
See also ‘Lieutenant William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse VC RFC – A Northamptonshire Hero’ by Enid Jarvis published by Spratton Local History Society.
MORE INFORMATION
BE2 aircraft
BE2 aircraft
Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
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Commemorative stone to Lt William Rhodes-Moorhouse unveiled in Spratton in April 2016 on the centenary of the Victoria Cross flight in April 1915
Commemorative stone to Lt William Rhodes-Moorhouse unveiled in Spratton in April 2016 on the centenary of the Victoria Cross flight in April 1915
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS