Home > William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse

He was 27 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 2 Squadron , Royal Flying Corps during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 26 April 1915 at Courtrai, Belgium, Second 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 Courtrai 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 the Casualty Clearing Station where he died the next day.

The first airman to perform an action subsequently rewarded with the VC.

Also considered New Zealand because of family links.

1 Reference

• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Air VCs (P G Cooksley, 1999)

2 External links

• New Zealand Troops who have won the Victoria Cross (brief biography details)
• Location of grave and VC medal (Dorset)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.