William Henry Rhodes-Moorhouse was born on 4th March 1914 Brompton Square, London. He arrived before the doctor and was delivered with the help of his father, William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse (who, one year later died of his wounds whilst flying on a 1st World war bombing mission in France – and for which, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross – the first ever bestowed for operations in the air), His mother was Linda Beatrice Rhodes-Moorhouse (nee Morritt 1886-1973)
Lt. WB Rhodes-Moorhouse VC.
Educated at Eton, William learned to fly and, in 1931, aged 17, he received his pilot’s Aero Certificate.
In 1937, he joined 601 (County of London) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force. It was Known as the Millionaires’ because the first commanding officer, Lord Edward Grosvenor, decided that he would only recruit from members of Whites Club in London.
William was trained to fly the Bristol Blenheim, a twin-engined aircraft with one other crew member who operated the radio and a defensive machine-gun.
With tension rising, William and the other members of 601 Squadron were called to full-time service on 26th August 1939.
On 28th November, he flew one of six Blenheims from 601 Squadron that joined with another six from 25 Squadron to mount a raid on the German seaplane base at Borkum, an island off the North German coast. All aircraft returned safely.
In March 1940, the Squadron was reequipped with Hurricanes, and its pilots began conversion training. Two months later, following, the German attack in the in the West, the Squadron’s ‘A’ flight pilots, including William, were sent to Merville airfield in France – the same airfield that William’s father had taken off from on his final sortie.
They were soon in action, and William claimed an He111 shot down east of Brussels on the 18tth of May. The next day, William force-landed his Hurricane after his auxiliary fuel tank was holed by return fire from Me110s over Douai. On 22nd May, he claimed an Me109 shot down.
Because of the increasingly dire situation in France, the Squadron was withdrawn to Tangmere on 17th June. In early July, the attacks on the British mainland commenced.
William shared in the destruction of Dornier17s on 7th July and 11th July. Four days later, he shot down a Junkers 88 and shared in another Junkers kill another on the 16th of July. For these actions, he was awarded the DFC .
On 11th August William claimed two Me109s destroyed. On this day his brother-in-law and a fellow squadron member were shot down and killed off Portland.
He claimed another Me109 on the 18th August an He111 shared on the 30th, two Me109s probably destroyed on the 31st and a Do17 destroyed on 4th September.
In September, 601 Squadron were heavily engaged above Tunbridge Wells with Me109s. William’s Hurricanewas shot down and dived vertically into the ground near High Brooms railway viaduct. A RAF recovery crew was sent to the site but decided that the wreck was too deeply buried to salvage.
William’s father-in-law, Sir Stephen Demetriadi, engaged a civilian contractor to recover William’s body. After a cremation service in Brighton William’s ashes were buried alongside his father at Parnham House.
Survivors of 601 have testified that the loss of William Rhodes-Moorhouse was felt to be unbearable, coming as it did on top of the death or injury of almost all of the squadron’s pre-war stalwarts – all part-time Auxiliaries.. The following day, 7th September, 601 Squadron were withdrawn to Exeter to rest and absorb replacement pilots.
William was survived by his wife Amalia, who died in April 2003 aged 87 and his mother Linda, who died on 3rd December 1973 aged 86.
RTWM
With acknowledgement to Friends of the Battle Of Britain Monument whose website provides more information at https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Rhodes-Moorhouse.htm
Further reading at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11951642