the Royal Flying Corps and as a second lieutenant was posted to Farnborough. Seeking to serve on an operational basis, he obtained a posting to No. 2 Squadron on 20 March 1915 at Merville, flying the B.E.2. On 26 April 1915 at Kortrijk, Belgium, Rhodes-Moorhouse swept low over the railway junction that he had been ordered to attack. He released his 100 lb (45 kg) bomb and was immediately plunged into a heavy barrage of small arms fire from rifles and a machine-gun in the belfry of Kortrijk Church; he was severely wounded by a bullet in his thigh, and his plane was 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. He died the next day, 27 April 1915. For this action he was awarded the VC. The citation for his award read as follows: "For most conspicuous bravery on 26th April, 1915, 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 a very low altitude, and reported the successful accomplishment of his object. He has since died of his wounds." His body was returned to England and buried at the family home Parnham House, Beaminster, Dorset, and later the ashes of his son were placed alongside him. William Henry Rhodes-Moorhouse His son, also called William (Willie), was less than a year old when his father died. He went on to join No. 601 Squadron RAF. He was shot down and killed over Kent during the Battle of Britain in 1940, shortly after being awarded the DFC. References 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) Great Tales from New Zealand History by Gordon McLauchlan (2005: Penguin, Auckland) (The Maori VC Winner from Harrow and Cambridge; Chapter 32 pages 181–186) Wings of Freedom:Twelve Battle of Britain Pilots by Norman Franks (1980, William Kimber, London) (Chapter 11 on Willie Rhodes-Moorhouse, pp 166–177) External links (brief biography details) Location of grave and VC medal (Dorset) British World War I recipients of the Victoria