Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book. in Aug. 1914, he was placed in charge of work shops at Aircraft Park, South Farnborough, and remained there till 20 March, 1915, when he was sent out to the Front to join the No. 2 Squadron, No. 1 Wing, at Merville, as a flying officer. His promotion to the rank of Lieut. was gazetted after his death to rank as from 24 April, 1915. On Monday, 26 April, during the Second Battle of Ypres, an urgent message came through from Headquarters ordering the immediate destruction of the railway line at Courtrai Junction to prevent the bringing up of German reinforcements, and he was detailed for this important task, his instructions being "to use his own discretion as to his height at which he would drop his bomb." He left Merville flying ground at 3.5 p.m., and returned again mortally wounded at 4.15, having piloted his machine over 35 miles under conditions of extreme difficulty after receiving his first serious wound. He made a full report before he was taken to hospital, so that Sir John French was able to record the destruction of Courtrai Junction in his Report from Headquarters despatched the same evening. He died of his wounds next day, but before his death received the following message: "But for pressure of urgent work the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief would have visited 2nd Lieut. Moorhouse himself to express his admiration of his courage and the way in which he carried out his duties yesterday." [The Battle of Ypres was then in progress and Merville was over 30 miles from General Headquarters.] The following are extracts from the official accounts of his exploit: From Sir John French's Report from Headquarters, 26 April, "One of our airmen bombed Courtrai Station this afternoon and destroyed the junction. Although wounded, he brought his machine back to our lines." Extract from the Daily Bulletin issued to the troops (first issued by special request to the Indian Corps), who "had seen him flying back and were so impressed by his astounding courage" that they asked for further details and translated them into Hindustani, and it was afterwards circulated among all our troops at the Front. Dated 29 April, 1915. "British Air Raid on Courtrai. Details are now to hand of the successful air raid carried out on the 26th inst., and mentioned in yesterday's bulletin. It is a story of amazing gallantry and heroism, and and is worthy of special notice. The aviator, 2nd Lieut. W. B. Rhodes-Moorhouse, left Merville at 3.5 in the afternoon, alone in a biplane, to drop a heavy bomb on the railway junction at Courtrai. Arriving at his destination, he volplaned down to a height of 300 ft. and successfully dropped the bomb on his objective, the effect of the explosion being felt by the aviator at a height of 300 ft. While at this low altitude he was subject to a tornado of fire from thousands of rifles, machine-guns and shell fire. He was severely wounded in the thigh (part of which was torn away), but instead of descending into the German lines where his life might have been saved, and to prevent his machine from falling into the hands of the Germans, he turned and made for the British lines. To increase his speed he descended a further 200 ft., and crossed the German lines at a height of 100 ft. only. He was again severely wounded by a bullet which ripped open his abdomen. Instead of landing at Ypres, he flew the whole way back to the flying ground at Merville, and made his report. We regret to say that he succumbed to his wounds 24 hours later. He was an aviator who had always performed several daring feats, and was the first man to do the 'tail slide,' and also the only man who had flown across the Channel with two passengers. This would appear worthy to be ranked among the most heroic stories of the world's history." Extract from Eye-witness's communication dated 30 April: "The raid on Courtrai, unfortunately cost the nation a very gallant life, but it will live as one of the most heroic episodes of the war. The aviator started on the enterprise alone in a biplane. On arrival at Courtrai he glided down to a height of 300 ft., and dropped a large bomb on the railway junction. While he did this he was the target of hundreds of rifles, of machine guns, and of anti-aircraft armament, and was severely wounded in the thigh. Though he might have saved his life by at once coming down in the enemy's lines, he decided to save his machine at all costs, and made for the British lines. Descending to a height of only 100 ft. in order to increase his speed, he continued to fly and was again wounded, this time mortally. He still flew on, however, and without coming down at the nearest of our aerodromes, went all the way back to his own base, where he executed a perfect landing and made his report. He died in hospital not long afterwards." He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French's Despatch of 3 May, 1915, and was awarded the V.C. [London Gazette, 22 May, 1915] "for most conspicuous bravery on 26 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." Lieut. Rhodes-Moorhouse _m._ at St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, 25 June, 1912, Linda Beatrice (Parnham House, Beaminster, Dorset), yst. dau. of the late Robert Ambrose Morritt, of Rokeby, Yorkshire, and had a son: William Henry, _b._ 4 March, 1914. In accordance with the will of his grandfather he assumed the name of Rhodes in addition to, and before, that of Moorhouse by Royal Licence, 21 Jan. 1913. [Illustration: =W. B. R. Rhodes-Moorhouse.=] =MORAN, JOHN BARROW=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 9651), S.S. 107013, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =MORAN, JOSEPH=, Private, No. 7776, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of Michael Moran, of 9, Chatburn Avenue, Tanshelf, Pontefract, Miner, by his wife, Julianne, dau. of Patrick Tierney; _b._ Sharleston, near Wakefield, co. York, ... May, 1888; educ. Colliery School there; enlisted 1908; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, Aug. 1914; served through the retreat from Mons and the subsequent fighting on the Marne and Aisne, and died in hospital at Versailles, 24 Sept. 1914, of wounds received at La Cour de Soupir, on the Aisne, on the 17th. He was buried in Versailles Cemetery; _unm._ [Illustration: =Joseph Moran.=] =MORGAN, ALBERT=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2767), S.S. 674, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =MORGAN ALBERT ERNEST=, Lieut., 6th (Special Reserve) Battn. Royal Fusiliers, only _s._ of Albert Charles Frederick Morgan, of 135, Oakwood Court, Kensington, by his wife, Marion Grimston, 4th dau. of John Alexander Fladgate, 1st Baron da Roeda in Portugal, and grandson of the late Thomas Morgan, F.S.A.; _b._ London, 24 May, 1889; educ. at Sum |