ABSTRACT
The absence of a coherent British maritime air doctrine – that is, an accepted method of applying the air power of the Royal Naval Air Service – at the start of the First World War comes as no surprise. Theory and history combine to form doctrine,1 yet at the start of the war the RNAS possessed no combat experience to provide a guide for operating their tiny force of aircraft against the Germans. What roles and missions would the RNAS seek in order to contribute to the war at sea? As the U-boat threat emerged, the air bombardment of German submarine bases was one possible function, but a lack of clear doctrine and sharp disagreements over aircraft employment would limit the effectiveness of such efforts. This chapter will trace the role of maritime aircraft, from the start of the Great War through its closing months, in attacking the German U-boats ‘at source’ along the Belgian coast.
