THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

RHODES-MOORHOUSE William Barnard

Lieutenant, 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, WW1

BIOGRAPHICAL

RHODES-MOORHOUSE was born in London to an English father and Maori mother, one of four children.  Educated at Harrow and Cambridge

University MOORHOUSE regarded his university education as a waste of time.  Instead his real interest lay in engine design - initially in fast cars and

then in the budding field of aviation.  In 1906 Moorhouse knocked down and killed a child on Brighton beach during a motorcycle race; initial charges

of manslaughter were however subsequently withdrawn.

Leaving university in 1909 Moorhouse learned how to fly - gaining his pilot's certificate in 1911 - and then set to designing monoplanes.  He competed

in aviation competitions and was the first to cross the English Channel from Douai to Ashood with two passengers in a biplane (one of whom was his

wife).

With the onset of war in Europe in 1914 William - by now having legally changed his last name to RHODES-MOORHOUSE as a means of inheriting his

grandfather's estate - enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps for training.

RHODES-MOORHOUSE was attached to No. 2 Squadron in March 1915, then based at Merville in France.  Within a short period

RHODES-MOORHOUSE won the Victoria Cross for which he is renowned.

On 26 April 1915 he was instructed to attack the German-held rail junction at Courtrai.  He successfully released his load of bombs but was strafed by

combined machine gun and rifle fire while flying low.  Although his aircraft was damaged - and his thigh torn open - he elected to try and regain the

Allied lines rather than crash-landing behind German lines.

Caught again by German fire while returning home he received hits to his abdomen and hand.  He nevertheless finally managed to land successfully behind Allied lines, making his report before being taken to a military hospital for treatment.  Critically ill he died on the following day.  He was subsequently awarded the V.C. on 22 May 1915, the first airman to receive the award.  He was aged 27.

CITATION

Victoria Cross

Gazetted 21 May 1915, Supp 29170, p4990

On 26 April 1915 at Cortrai, Belgium, Lieutenant RHODES-MOORHOUSE swept low over the rail junction which he had been ordered to attack. He released his 100lb. bomb, but was immediately plunged into a heavy barrage of small arms fire from rifles and machine-gun in the belfry of Cortrai Church, he was severely wounded by a bullet in his thigh and his plane was also badly hit. Returning to the Allied lines, he again ran into heavy fire from the ground and was wounded twice more. He managed to get his aircraft back, and insisted on making his report before being taken to Casualty Clearing Station where he Died on the next day.

KNOWN AWARDS

Victoria Cross

1914-15-Star

War Medal 1914-19

Victory Medal

NOTES

Born 26 September 1887, London, England - part-Maori

Died 27 April 1915,

Buried Parnham Private Cemetery, Beaminster, Dorset, UK