Spratton Grange
SPRATTON GRANGE: Temporary Landing Ground (Family home)
Operated by: Mr W B Rhodes-Moorhouse
Location: Just W of the A5199, (previously the A50), and just S of Spratton village. 2.5nm SW of Brixworth village and about 5.5nm NNW of Northampton town centre
Period of operation: 1912 certainly and probably until WW1
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The newspaper article was published in the North Bucks Times and County Observer on the 1st June 1912.
The photograph was published in The Aeroplane on the 13th June 1912 and shows Rhodes-Moorhouse flying his Radley and Moorhouse monoplane which, based on a Blériot type, had been modified and streamlined as a single-seat racer. He was competing in the Aerial Derby at HENDON on the 8th June and came third, although he did win at least one event later on.
Note: The magazine article was published in The Aeroplane on the 6th June 1912. We do not know where he landed when visiting but the large mostly open space south of The Grange seems most likely?
Note: This marriage notice was published in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on the 26th June 1912. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: This listing seems a very good place to mention that F/Lt William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse, (he added the 'Rhodes' after a close relative requested he do so in his will), was the first British airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross. Enlisting in the Royal Flying Corps he was eventually posted to Merville in northern France, flying the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 type with No.2 Squadron.
On the 26th April 1915 he volunteered to drop a bomb on the major railway junction in Courtrai, then the major supply route for the Germans involved at Ypres. He descended to 300ft above the target to make certain his bomb was dropped to have maximum effect and met a hail of ground fire. Severly wounded he nevertheless made it back to his base and insisted on filing his report before being taken to hospital in Merville, where he succumbed to his wounds the following day.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
