Church Brampton
CHURCH BRAMPTON: One-off flying visit
Operated by: William B Moorhouse
Location: Northants County Golf Club. Just SE of Church Brampton village and about 3nm NNW of Northampton town centre
Period of operation: 4th December 1911
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for discovering an account of this singular flight.
The article was published in the Eastern Daily Press on the 5th December 1911.
The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: Today, it might well be wondered why, in this 'Guide', I have included quite a lot of one-off landing sites in this 'Guide' before the First World War. The reason is simply because, in those days, the majority of people had not seen an aeroplane, let alone one that was actually flying! Indeed, even when a forced or precautionary landing was made, a large crowd would quickly gather, even in relatively remote spots around the country.
A cross-country flight such as this, basically just for pleasure purposes, was still quite a rarity in 1911. I find it interesting to note that the journalist who wrote the account above, could not resist exaggerating. Far from being a "120 mile" flight, the distance from PORT HOLME near Huntingdon is more like 30 miles.
Another reason for including this particular flight in 1911, is because in 1912 Moorhouse changed his surname to Rhodes-Moorhouse. If my memory is correct, to comply with the terms of a will? Under this name he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps at the start of WW1 and by 1915 was posted to No.2 Squadron flying the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 type based at Merville near to the trenches.
On the 26th April he was tasked with dropping a bomb on the railway junction at Kortrijk in Belgium, which he did despite encountering considerable fire from the ground, during which he was seriously injured. Returning back to base he encountered more severe ground fire from his own side, and was seriously injured twice more. Despite his injuries he insisted on filing his report before being taken to hospital.
He died in hospital the next day, and as a result became the first British aviator to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
