During the First World War he served with the King's Own Royal Lancashire Regiment, and later with the Yorkshire Regiment. Seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, Rhodes served as an observer/gunner with No. 12 Squadron flying the RE 8. The squadron was mainly engaged on reconnaissance and artillery spotting duties, but Rhodes who normally flew with pilot South African Lt Croye Pithey,[a] claimed a total of five enemy aircraft and two balloons destroyed and four more aircraft claimed 'out of control'.[1] Pithey and Rhodes were the highest scoring RE 8 crew of the war.[2] Rhodes won the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.[1] He was badly wounded in September 1918, and walked with a limp for the rest of his life. He left with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Initially, the LDV were issued only with an armband and brought along to parades and training such implements or weapons as they could improvise. Quite soon the LDV was jokingly said to stand for "Look, Duck & Vanish". The name was quickly changed to the Home Guard and within a few weeks was equipped with rifles, army pattern khaki uniform and had officers and NCOs appointed. Hervey Rhodes became the CO of the 36th (West Riding) Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Major Rhodes (soon Lieutenant Colonel) visited the various companies, limping, complete with stick and pipe. The battalion was soon equipped with Thompson sub-machine guns and later, Sten guns and other weaponry. Rhodes served as CO of the battalion until it was disbanded. He then developed his political career, alongside his business interests at his mill in Delph.
A cotton plant fructed Proper between to the dexter a rose Argent and to the sinister a rose Gules both barbed and seeded stalked and leaved Proper.
Escutcheon
Vert semy of acorns or two trumpets in saltire the mouth pieces downward on a chief Or two Lancashire child's clogs toes inward Sable the caps and studs Or.
Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory (1997). Above the War Fronts: A complete record of the British two-seater bomber pilot and observer aces, the British two-seater fighter observer aces, and the Belgian, Austro-Hungarian and Russia fighter aces 19140–1918. London: Grub Street. ISBN1-898697-56-6.
