RHODES-MOOREHOUSE William Bernard
Second Lieutenant.* 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.
London Gazetted on 22 May 1915
Born on 26th September 1887 in London
Died on 27th April 1915 Merville, France.
Buried at his family home, Parnham House, Dorset; also a tribute at theTangmere Air Museum,.
Other Decorations
Additional Information: The first airman to perform an action subsequently rewarded with the VC; the ashes of his his son (Flying Officer W. Rhodes-Moorehouse), killed in action during the Battle of Britain, are interred by the side of his father at Parnham.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 26 April 1915 at Cortrai, Belgium, Second Lieutenant Rhodes-Moorehouse 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.
*(Promoted Lieutenant w.e.f. 24 April 1915. He is listed amongst the RFC and RAF VCs at Tangmere Air Museum.

Following pictures courtesy of Paul Goodwin