William Henry Rhodes-Moorhouse
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Willie" Rhodes-Moorhouse DFC
, (4 March 1914 – 6 September 1940) was an Royal Air Force
pilot who flew and was killed in action during the Battle of Britain
. He was one of The Few
.
. When he was less than a year old, his father, William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse
, who was the first airman to be awarded the VC, was wounded in action
and died of his injuries.The Rhodes-Moorhouse family enjoyed considerable wealth and circulated in the top echelons of upper-class society of the time.
William was educated at Eton College
, where he was able to obtain his pilots licence aged 17. In October 1933, William inherited his father's estate of over £250,000 (a huge sum for the time).
After travelling extensively, on 15 September 1936 at Marylebone Rhodes-Moorhouse married Amalia Demetriadi, who had been approached to be screen-tested for the role of Scarlett O'Hara
in the film Gone with the Wind
. She declined.
A keen sportsman, Rhodes-Moorhouse was selected for the British Winter Olympics team for the 1936 Winter Olympics
, but an accident on the ski jump prevented him from competing.
s with No. 601 Squadron RAF
.At the start of the war 601 Squadron moved to Biggin Hill
. On 28 November 1939 he participated on a raid by the Squadron's Blenheims on the German seaplane base at Borkum
. The Squadron re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
in March 1940.
With the German attack ion France in May 1940 ‘A’ flight of 601 squadron were sent to Merville airfield. Rhodes-Moorhouse claimed a Heinkel He-111 bomber shot down near Brussels on 18 May. On 19 May he force-landed Hurricane L2088 after the auxiliary fuel tank was holed by return fire from a Bf 110 near Douai. He then claimed a Bf 109 shot down on the 22 May.
No. 601 were withdrawn to Tangmere
on 17 June, in July flew against the intial Luftwaffe attacks over the Channel and the South coast.Rhodes-Moorhouse shared in the destruction of a Do17 on 7 July and 11 July. He also claimed a Ju88 and shared another on the 16 July. He was awarded the DFC
in late July 1940.
On 11 August Rhodes-Moorhouse claimed two Bf 109’s destroyed.
He claimed another Bf 109 on 18 August, a shared He111 on 30 August, and two Bf 109’s probably destroyed on the 31 August, with a Do17 destroyed on 4 September.
On 6 September 601 were engaged above Tunbridge Wells with Bf 109’s. Rhodes-Moorhouse's Hurricane, (P8818) was shot down and crashed near High Brooms railway viaduct.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, (4 March 1914 – 6 September 1940) was an Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot who flew and was killed in action during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. He was one of The Few
The Few
The Few is a term used to describe the Allied airmen of the Royal Air Force who fought the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. It comes from Winston Churchill's phrase "Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few"....
.
Early life
Rhodes-Moorhouse was born on 4 March 1914 at a house in Brompton Square, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. When he was less than a year old, his father, William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse
William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse
William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse VC, born William Barnard Moorhouse, was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, who was the first airman to be awarded the VC, was wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
and died of his injuries.The Rhodes-Moorhouse family enjoyed considerable wealth and circulated in the top echelons of upper-class society of the time.
William was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, where he was able to obtain his pilots licence aged 17. In October 1933, William inherited his father's estate of over £250,000 (a huge sum for the time).
After travelling extensively, on 15 September 1936 at Marylebone Rhodes-Moorhouse married Amalia Demetriadi, who had been approached to be screen-tested for the role of Scarlett O'Hara
Scarlett O'Hara
Scarlett O' Hara is the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and in the later film of the same name...
in the film Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
. She declined.
A keen sportsman, Rhodes-Moorhouse was selected for the British Winter Olympics team for the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
, but an accident on the ski jump prevented him from competing.
Royal Air Force
In 1937 he joined the RAF, flying Bristol BlenheimBristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s with No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain and the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of this squadron.-History:...
.At the start of the war 601 Squadron moved to Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill is an area and electoral ward in the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley in southeast London, United Kingdom.-History:Historically the settlement was known as Aperfield and formed part of the parish of Cudham...
. On 28 November 1939 he participated on a raid by the Squadron's Blenheims on the German seaplane base at Borkum
Borkum
Borkum is an island and a municipality in the Leer District in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany.-Geography:Borkum is bordered to the west by the Westerems strait , to the east by the Osterems strait, to the north by the North Sea, and to the south by the Wadden Sea...
. The Squadron re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
in March 1940.
With the German attack ion France in May 1940 ‘A’ flight of 601 squadron were sent to Merville airfield. Rhodes-Moorhouse claimed a Heinkel He-111 bomber shot down near Brussels on 18 May. On 19 May he force-landed Hurricane L2088 after the auxiliary fuel tank was holed by return fire from a Bf 110 near Douai. He then claimed a Bf 109 shot down on the 22 May.
No. 601 were withdrawn to Tangmere
Tangmere
Tangmere is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Located three miles north east of Chichester it is twinned with Hermanville-sur-Mer in Lower Normandy, France....
on 17 June, in July flew against the intial Luftwaffe attacks over the Channel and the South coast.Rhodes-Moorhouse shared in the destruction of a Do17 on 7 July and 11 July. He also claimed a Ju88 and shared another on the 16 July. He was awarded the DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
in late July 1940.
On 11 August Rhodes-Moorhouse claimed two Bf 109’s destroyed.
He claimed another Bf 109 on 18 August, a shared He111 on 30 August, and two Bf 109’s probably destroyed on the 31 August, with a Do17 destroyed on 4 September.
On 6 September 601 were engaged above Tunbridge Wells with Bf 109’s. Rhodes-Moorhouse's Hurricane, (P8818) was shot down and crashed near High Brooms railway viaduct.