The character and extent of archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel is presently unknown.

Event and Historical Information:
The WILLIAM RHODES MOORHOUSE was an Admiralty trawler built by East Anglian Constructors, Oulton Broad, or Richards Iron Works Ltd of Lowestoft (sources appear to differ) in June 1944. The vessel had the designation MFV1557. Technical and configurations specifications are given as 112gt, 56nt; 93.2ft length x 22.4ft breadth x 11ft; single screw propulsion powered by an oil engine made by Ruston & Hornsby Ltd, Lincoln; official number 169925. At time of loss on 15 April 1968, the vessel had been sold out of service in 1948 and renamed WILLIAM RHODES MOORHOUSE. This name may relate to William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse, who designed aircraft and competed in aviation races before World War I. He was also the first airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross after completing a mission to destroy a railway station in Belgium, despite being fatally wounded. Allternatively, it may relate to his son, William Henry Rhodes-Woodhouse, was shot down and killed over Kent during the Battle of Britain shortly after being awarded the DFC. The trawler was working off Strumble Head when its net winch broke down. The assistance of the Swansea trawler, LORD RODNEY, was needed to recover the gear. Then, during the evening, the fish-room was found to have flooded. The crew headed for the coast, but six miles off Strumble Head were forced to send out a Mayday distress call, at the same time launching their life raft and abandoning ship. A nearby oil tanker, the ESSO PURFLEET picked them up and transferred them to the Fishguard lifeboat. With the stricken trawler still afloat, the lifeboat passed a line across and took it in tow. However, when in sight of Fishguard Harbour, the trawler took on a severe list and the three men on board just had time to get into the sea before she foundered. The men were picked up by the lifeboat and landed at Fishguard.

Sources include:

Lenton, H T, 1998, British and empire Warships of the Second World War, p.703
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyd's Register Casualty Returns, 1 April - 30 June 1968, p.19
Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, 1 July 1961 - 30 June 1962, number 37132 in W
MFV William Rhodes Moorhouse (LO496), Wreck Site EU
UK Hydrographic Office Wrecks and Obstructions Database. ? Crown Copyright and database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk)

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, May 2010.

This record was enhanced in 2020 with funding from Lloyd's Register Foundation as part of the project ‘Making the Link: Lloyd's Register and the National Monuments Record of Wales’. Visit Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre for more resources.