The decision to use the DH6 as an anti-submarine aircraft was taken at the beginning of 1918. By March 1918 the RNAS had 137 DH6s on charge for training purposes. Some 300 DH6s became available as they were withdrawn from training units in June 1918, and of these at least 192 were used for anti-submarine work.

In addition to the modifications to the DH6 design, first to make it more suitable for mass production, and then to improve performance, flotation gear was developed and supplied to units. However, there do not appear to be any recorded instances of this gear being fitted on operational aircraft, possibly as a weight saving measure. Although the RAF1A engines DH6s were fairly reliable, the Curtiss OX engine was less so. Inadequate maintenance, and aircraft being parked outside, did not improve reliability and ditching was far from uncommon. Fortunately the DH6 floated well, with estimates of aircraft staying afloat for between 6 and 10 hours being recorded.(See Clutching Hand : The DH6, Ray Vann, Cross & Cockade GB, Volume 4 No 1, 1973).

The intention was to substitute DH4s and DH9s for the DH6s as soon as possible. Although there are notes that DH9s were based at Westward Ho ! with 502 and 503 Flights, it seems more likely that these were aircraft form 494 (Light Bomber) Flight, based at Padstow. Ultimately equipment should be the Blackburn Kangeroo.

Anti-submarine aircraft were to undertake one of four roles :

1.    Routine Patrol – single aircraft

2.    Sweeps – two or more aircraft

3.    Convoy escort – two or more aircraft (usually left to airships and kite balloons operating from ships; DH6s used in this role were flown as two-seaters and communicated by Aldis lamp)

4.    Intensive patrols (to saturate a small area with aerial patrols. This was difficult to maintain, and not particularly effective)

The introduction of the convoy system from the summer of 1917 meant that by “January 1918, sinkings within ten miles of the coast represented 60% of the total losses. To counter these attacks, the Admiralty asked for additional aircraft o patrol stretches of the inshore waters where U-boat activity was particularly intense. As a stopgap, the Air Ministry supplied some 200 surplus DH6 training aircraft which could operate from small coastal landing grounds. Although unable to carry a weight of bombs to sink a U-boat, the DH6s exploited the U-boat commanders’ known fear of aircraft and, simply by their presence, frightened them away from the shipping lanes.” Air Station Aldeburgh 1915-1919, Geoff Dewing

The DH6s were employed on the so-called ‘Operation Scarecrow’ air patrols, passing over an area at 20 minute intervals and thus covering routes used by lone merchantmen between ports and convoy assembly/ dispersal points. The intention was to keep the U-boats submerged to limit their ability to sight targets and force attacks by torpedo.

Areas of particular danger were off the coast of Devon and Cornwall, and between the Tyne and Humber. There were 8 flights of DH6s in the south west area. The intended establishment was :

One Duty Flight

One Stand Off Flight

One Stand By Flight

One Hunting Squadron for each sub area (presumably these were, initially, the bomb carrying DH6s, but were the priority for replacement with the DH4/9 ?)

In theory, each flight consisted of 6 aircraft, but the serviceability of the DH6 was not good. Often there was no hutted accommodation. As late as October 1918 requests for huts were still being made by East Coast based units. The huts had been ordered, but contractors had failed to deliver blaming problems with obtaining materials and adequate skilled labour.  

Trained personnel (pilots, observers & mechanics) were in short supply. Anti-submarine Observer Training Schools were opened, notably at Aldeburgh in Suffolk.  The aircrew were often of medical grades that would have prevented them serving with the BEF, many of them recovering from wounds etc.

In addition, in areas where aircraft would have to defend themselves 13 Flights of DH9s (or other light bombers) were formed.

“In all cases the patrol planes were equipped with radios and carrier pigeons for communications with patrol headquarters. For communication with ships they used flares, message buoys, and the Aldis lamp.” Find and Destroy : Anti-Submarine Warfare in World War 1, Dwight R Messimer

 However, War in the Air notes that only some DH6s were fitted with radio, and communication by Aldis lamp was more usual. 75% of DH6 patrols were flown by pilots alone because the weight of war equipment had such a serious effect on performance, but in the case of radio it may be a case of balancing the extra weight of an observer against the ability for the pilot to multi-task ?

“The Padstow DH6s did not shine. The DH6 was underpowered and carrying  any offensive load was a chore for the aircraft, which was soon given the macabre soubriquet “Clutching Hand”. A maximum bomb load of around 100 lbs was manageable if the pilot flew alone…. The value of the DH6 component of the submarine hunters was not in their offensive power, which was negligible, but in helping dissuade U-boats from pressing home their attacks as remorselessly as they would have had air cover (or at least, the threat of air cover) not been present, and engagements were infrequent…. The DH9s were far more competent machines, of much better construction and reliability… A handful of attacks were made on suspected U-boats, though without clear success.” Aviation in Cornwall, Peter London

Between 1.5.1918 and 11.11.1918 ‘scarecrows’ sighted 16 U-boats and attacked 11. No serious damage was done to any of the U-boats. However, Kapitaenleutnant Hundius, UB103, noted on 2.6.1918 that daylight operations off the Cornish Coast were impossible due to overwhelming air patrols that forced the U-boats under water.

On 5.8.1918 250 Squadron, already consisting of 494, 500 and 501 Flights at Padstow, took over the two flights at Westward Ho !, all remaining in the same wing and Group. 494 (Light Bomber) Flight was equipped with AMC DH9s (e.g. H4284, H4287, B7611, B7612, B7665, C1300, C1301, C1303, D1711, D1712, D1713, C1714, D2963, D2964, D2965, D2966, D2968 & D2969), the other two flights operating the DH6.  Major RE Orton had served as commanding officer of 250 Squadron since 31.5.1918, with FW Merriam as second in command. “Most of my time at Padstow was spent in testing and experimenting with heavier bomb loads and taking pat in patrols, but I also helped with the instructing of several young RFC (sic) officers… Among the first-class pilots at Padstow were Captains Wadham and Talbot-Lehmann, and Lieutenant Scott, AEN Ashford, AH Blundell and VAF Ronaldi, but probably the best remembered man thee was the medical officer, GM Mellor… Another interesting character was our Adjutant, Lieutenant FH Reynolds. He was a popular officer who had earlier been wounded and had lost the use of his left hand. … The terrible influenza epidemic which swept the country soon after the Armistice took its full toll from Padstow. I was one of its victims*… Just before the Armistice I had been recommended to succeed Major Orton as CO of the Squadron. When it came I was transferred almost at once for instructional duty to 29 TS at Croydon.”  First Through the Clouds, FW Merriam

Westward Ho ! suffered a single flying accident fatality. This was to 2Lt Herbert Ceil Kibby, a pilot seconded to the RAF from the 10^th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. He stalled DH6 C7849 on a turn above the aerodrome and spun in on 4.9.1918. Kibby died of his injuries on 27.10.1918. He was aged 23 and a native of Southall. Kibby is recorded as being a 260 Squadron fatality, with 502 and 503 Flights often being referred to as such even when 250 Squadron had taken over administrative responsibility for them.

The Squadron was disbanded on 2.2.1919.

*Four people are recorded as having died while serving with 250 Squadron. One of these died from pneumonia. It is possible that the other three died of influenza :

58628 AM3 William Henry Brown, aged 19, died of pneumonia 18.8.1918.

252394 Private 1 George Ernest Knight, aged 30, died 22.9.1918. Native of Faversham.

63156 AM2 Roland Paley died 18.8.1918.

249113 Private 2 William James Pratt, aged 18, died 18.8.1918. Native of West Norwood, London

Aircraft serving with 502 & 503 Flights (Ref Aircraft Manufacturing Company, Mick Davis & Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919, Ray Sturtivant & Gordon Page ~ latter has plan of Westward Ho 1 also)