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C. C.

I- I- H H www.mcdoa.org.uk Contents R.N. Diving Magazine l'aye EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORIAL .. Chief Petty Officer R. L. BENFIELD, Editor.

TIII: FIRST 12 MONTHS Lieutenant H. PARKER, Treasurer. Instructor Lieutenant R. M. SMART, B.A., R.N., Secretary. I 'NH SIAI ION CLEARANCE DIVING TEAM 9 Able Seaman A. LYDEN and L/Sea. M. J. BRASSINGTON, Cartoonists. I DANDIND A PROPELLOR 11 Vol 7 Summer 1960 No. 3

At I 1)1 MANI/ DIVING EQUIPMENT (S.D.D.E.) 13 Editor's Notes ( I t ARAN( I DIVIND Ar('EPTANCI TRIAI S TEAM NOTES 17 E hope any doubts you may have had about the I )1VERS' I INDI R WA II It COMMUNICA l'ION SYSTEM 18 excuses we made for the delay of the last issue wwill be erased by the promptness, size and quality this one. 'BUDDY LINI S. 24 The Committee would like to thank those who sent A SON 01. A TEMPLE COX BOLT GUN 25 in articles for this edition, making it I hope one of the best so far, and so paving the way for even better issues. LONDONDERRY DIVING TEAM • • 27 My thanks to Lieutenant Commander Filer, not only for writing articles but for bringing pressure to DIVERS' DAY .19 bear on those beyond the reach of myself. Please note our new features 'Buddy Lines' and MAKING UNDERWATER MOVIES 31 `Bye Pass Cracks' and let us have any interesting and amusing contributions you may think of. This is the ALBERT AND THE DIVER 35 opportunity for those who quickly get writer's cramp as only a few lines are required. NEWS FROM R.N.P.L. 37

THE KHARG ISLAND PROJECT The First 12 Months by LT-CDR H. WARDLE, R.N. (Retd) BY-PASS CRACKS I AVING completed a full year I think is the general reaction, i.e. COMMAND BOMB AND MINE DISPOSAL UNIT—MINES 41 as a civilian employee I feel very 'I'll worry about that when the time Hguilty in going so long without comes'. This, in many ways, is as it should be, for after all, one is doing COX OF SCAPA 44 making a contribution to the Maga- zine. The only excuse I can offer is a job in the Service and you cannot do that job efficiently if you are EXPERIMENTAL CLEARANCE DIVING UNIT that even now I do not feel really 51 qualified to write as a civilian though going to spend your service life naturally 1 am better qualified now worrying about your civvy job ! AN OLD MINE FOR A NEW TEAM 53 than in the early days. It might be of interest to pro- spective civilians if I go through the DIVERS' EMPLOYMENT BUREAU 55 mindsThe whilstthought in passesthe Service through 'What all are our phases I experienced since leaving we to do in civilian life" Equally true the service; a typical case of one who —3 www.mcdoa.org.uk

The The

However, I wasn't there to admire admire to there wasn't I However,

The scenery was magnificent, high high magnificent, was scenery The

The next move was to spend four four spend to was move next The

I was taken for a 'run ashore' by by ashore' 'run a for taken was I

the scenery, there was work to do. do. to work was there scenery, the

The General Foreman proved to be be to proved Foreman General The

striking feature was the absence of of absence the was feature striking

feel that you were in another world. world. another in were you that feel

human habitation which made one one made which habitation human

wandering freely around. around. freely wandering

through the Glen and a herd of deer deer of herd a and Glen the through

side, the river we were to dam flowing flowing dam to were we river the side,

snow topped mountains on either either on mountains topped snow

on the passengers was similar. A A similar. was passengers the on

think, have been disastrous. disastrous. been have think,

was over a rough access road which which road access rough a over was

the Land Rovers we used. The effect effect The used. we Rovers Land the

did its best to tear the guts out of of out guts the tear to best its did

heavy meal before the trip would, I I would, trip the before meal heavy

in Easter Ross, roughly 30 miles miles 30 roughly Ross, Easter in

Dingwall where I was staying, about about staying, was I where Dingwall

from Dingwall. The last nine miles miles nine last The Dingwall. from

Beag. This proved to be the pro- the be to proved This Beag.

nine miles north of Aultguish Inn Inn Aultguish of north miles nine

verbial two days camel journey from from journey camel days two verbial which the firm was building at Glen Glen at building was firm the which

a site. This site proved to be a Weir Weir a be to proved site This site. a

weeks under a General Foreman on on Foreman General a under weeks

vivid language and generally got by. by. got generally and language vivid

I was up to date in some of the more more the of some in date to up was I

some language difficulty. However, However, difficulty. language some

In spite of my time in Scotland I had had I Scotland in time my of spite In

around 'Watch that Naval Type' ! ! Type' Naval that 'Watch around

the word that the buzz had gone gone had buzz the that word the

the morning ! In due course I got got I course due In ! morning the

with my tutors in the early hours of of hours early the in tutors my with

I am glad to say that, thanks to Kay Kay to thanks that, say to glad am I

diving training, I was still on my feet feet my on still was I training, diving

fell fiat on his face by about 9 p.m. p.m. 9 about by face his on fiat fell

'the treatment' the average Sassenach Sassenach average the treatment' 'the

the foreman. It appeared that after after that appeared It foreman. the

I had someone to sort out the mess. mess. the out sort to someone had I

grateful and conscious of the fact that that fact the of conscious and grateful

and welding. By the end of four four of end the By welding. and

weeks I suppose I was doing some some doing was I suppose I weeks

useful work, though I was always always was I though work, useful

experience helped with the cutting cutting the with helped experience

mechanical side, whilst my diving diving my whilst side, mechanical

man stood me in good stead on the the on stead good in me stood man

- 5— 5— -

this. this.

no argument with with argument no

After three days I was was I days three After

I had had I

In these four weeks, by 'doing a a 'doing by weeks, four these In

The first four weeks were spent in in spent were weeks four first The

The first move was a three months months three a was move first The

and so on. My time as a torpedo torpedo a as time My on. so and

up excavator bucket lips by welding welding by lips bucket excavator up

etc., renewing the odd fuse, building building fuse, odd the renewing etc.,

excavators, refitting bushes, pins, etc., etc., pins, bushes, refitting excavators, vicing engines, removing tracks from from tracks removing engines, vicing driving Land Rovers, forked lifts, lifts, forked Rovers, Land driving

tasks included unshipping and ser- and unshipping included tasks

than I would have gained in four four in gained have would I than months passive instruction. My My instruction. passive months

grew daily. daily. grew

job', I learnt more about the plant plant the about more learnt I job',

under whom I worked as a mate mate a as worked I whom under

and stamina of the various fitters fitters various the of stamina and

Foreman. Foreman. in the Depot. This was an eyeopener eyeopener an was This Depot. the in

that my work output was low com- low was output work my that

pared with the fitters and labourers labourers and fitters the with pared

enormously and I need hardly say say hardly need I and enormously for me and my respect for the ability ability the for respect my and me for

bers, etc. My delicate hands suffered suffered hands delicate My etc. bers,

refitting brakelinings, shock absor- shock brakelinings, refitting of each day under a Land Rover Rover Land a under day each of

aching all over having spent most most spent having over all aching

and tempestuous Aberdonian Plant Plant Aberdonian tempestuous and

the Plant Depot under a hard, bitter bitter hard, a under Depot Plant the

diving, diving,

school for officers qualifying in in qualifying officers for school

was the principle I adopted in the the in adopted I principle the was

was that during this period I should should I period this during that was

have a go at every man's job. As this this As job. man's every at go a have

basic training course. The theory theory The course. training basic

accusing me of having had quiet quiet had having of me accusing

the Service ! ! Service the

back I began to wonder whether my my whether wonder to began I back

numbers all the time I had been in in been had I time the all numbers

backs' from time to time; looking looking time; to time from backs'

'friends' had perhaps been right in in right been perhaps had 'friends'

We have all 'had the ship on our our on ship the 'had all have We

to complete such enormous projects. projects. enormous such complete to

thought of the organisation needed needed organisation the of thought

works. My mind boggled at the the at boggled mind My works.

various 'extensions' from these main main these from 'extensions' various

work in progress, three massive dams dams massive three progress, in work

for hydro electric schemes which which schemes electric hydro for

had been completed recently, and and recently, completed been had then given a rapid 'Cooks Tour' of of Tour' 'Cooks rapid a given then

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my firm is in in is firm my

of of

have a wider general know- general wider a have

r open and initially reserve your your reserve initially and open r

In my case I decided I did not not did I decided I case my In

My first destination was the Plant Plant the was destination first My

The Head Office Office Head The

ai

Mica so I had at least one person person one least at had I so Mica

paper, hut, if you are any good at all, all, at good any are you if hut, paper,

moviding you keep your eyes and and eyes your keep you moviding

moving up. up. moving

physically fit and generally adaptable adaptable generally and fit physically

want a static job, i.e. either in an an in either i.e. job, static a want

tunate in being given a start at £500 £500 at start a given being in tunate

training with a civil engineering engineering civil a with training

ledge, you are disciplined, you are are you disciplined, are you ledge,

The foregoing cannot be put on on put be cannot foregoing The

You You

a year during my first three months months three first my during year a opinions, you are bound to start start to bound are you opinions,

can offer an employer loyal service. service. loyal employer an offer can

office or a factory, and I was for- was I and factory, a or office This means often starting al a low low a al starting often means This

Dem, which to my untrained eye eye untrained my to which Dem,

are not available in many employees. employees. many in available not are

and probably, most important, you you important, most probably, and

wage. You have several assets which which assets several have You wage.

tity and quite obviously would have have would obviously quite and tity contractor. You will see my pay pay my see will You contractor.

viewpoint I was an unknown quan- unknown an was I viewpoint

I went to be loci to the station by a a by station the to loci be to went I

to be trained before I could be of of be could I before trained be to

wasn't much but, from my employers' employers' my from but, much wasn't looked more like a scrap yard. I was was I yard. scrap a like more looked pugnacious Land Rover which had had which Rover Land pugnacious

that in many walks of civilian life life civilian of walks many in that

one has to pay to learn, in many many in learn, to pay to has one

Ross-shire, I'd never even heard of of heard even never I'd Ross-shire,

cases after completing a long acad- long a completing after cases any real use. I rapidly discovered discovered rapidly I use. real any

obviously seen much service. The The service. much seen obviously

who knew my language. language. my knew who

Salisbury, so naturally I had visions visions had I naturally so Salisbury,

it I However, early in March 1959 off off 1959 March in early However, I it work for practically nothing for the the for nothing practically for work

opportunity of practicing one's chos- one's practicing of opportunity

emic course it is quite common to to common quite is it course emic of working somewhere in the South. South. the in somewhere working of

Imagine my feelings when I was was I when feelings my Imagine

en profession ! ! profession en

asked to go up to Muir of Ord, Ord, of Muir to up go to asked

driver was an ex-wartime Petty Petty ex-wartime an was driver

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It's a strange feeling, having had had having feeling, strange a It's

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what one really wants. Of course, if if course, Of wants. really one what a barman hist, hist, barman a

different, it's what you can get in the the in get can you what it's different, you are settled in a certain area with with area certain a in settled are you

a family to bring up the situation is is situation the up bring to family a

it is fair comment to say you have have you say to comment fair is it

providing your children do not tie tie not do children your providing background to yourself, this being so, so, being this yourself, to background

quarter and was homeless anyway. anyway. homeless was and quarter

for many others, I was in a married married a in was I others, many for

area, as opposed to what you want. want. you what to opposed as area,

to prove your capabilities to your your to capabilities your prove to

there are many people with a similar similar a with people many are there

do?' This is a teazer unless you you unless teazer a is This do?' employer once you have started, started, have you once employer

This is is This ment Exchange organisation is ex- is organisation Exchange ment

where. Obviously in the Naval Ports Ports Naval the in Obviously where.

cellent; they have information on on information have they cellent;

you to the district from the educat- the from district the to you ional viewpoint, you can move any- move can you viewpoint, ional

competition is keener. The Employ- The keener. is competition

jobs throughout the country. country. the throughout jobs .happen to be a tradesman. I think think I tradesman. a be to .happen

The most striking thing to me me to thing striking most The

The next move was administration administration was move next The

In the office I had a run around on on around run a had I office the In

lines, small dams, etc. for a Hydro Hydro a for etc. dams, small lines,

and setting up a job. We were just just were We job. a up setting and

starting a series of aquaducts, pipe pipe aquaducts, of series a starting

excavating 2,000 cubic yards of soil soil of yards cubic 2,000 excavating

the unit cost will be so and so over over so and so be will cost unit the

2,000'. 2,000'.

total cost so and so. If the job is is job the If so. and so cost total

`that item will take so long, with this this with long, so take will item `that machine. Cost per week so much, much, so week per Cost machine.

type of man and such and such a a such and such and man of type

Where I do laborious sums, the experts experts the sums, laborious do I Where from years of experience can say say can experience of years from

terms of £ s. d. in relation to the job job the to relation in d. s. £ of terms

price tag. The habit of thinking in in thinking of habit The tag. price in hand takes a lot of getting used to. to. used getting of lot a takes hand in

was the way every single activity has a a has activity single every way the was

efficiency. efficiency.

chances of being given the job to do do to job the given being of chances

loss when doing the job depends on on depends job the doing when loss

in the first place. Again profit or or profit Again place. first the in

will be the price which you tender tender you which price the be will the more efficient the firm, the lower lower the firm, the efficient more the

for the job, thereby increasing your your increasing thereby job, the for

important in my opinion. Obviously Obviously opinion. my in important

factors, the weather being the most most the being weather the factors, practice you gain on some items and and items some on gain you practice

lose on others depending on many many on depending others on lose

if it costs the firm less, you gain. In In gain. you less, firm the costs it if than the price, you loose on that item, item, that on loose you price, the than

the basis on which you are given the the given are you which on basis the

Every small section of a job is given given is job a of section small Every

job to do. If it costs the firm more more firm the costs it If do. to job

foot, cubic yard, etc. This price is is price This etc. yard, cubic foot, a price, usually based on so much a a much so on based usually price, a

procedure. Of these though, costing costing though, these Of procedure.

was by far the most instructive. instructive. most the far by was pay accounts, costing and insurance insurance and costing accounts, pay

based on work done, so you cannot cannot you so done, work on based

tracting work, the firms income is is income firms the work, tracting

afford to have men hanging around. around. hanging men have to afford

time is money and, certainly in con- in certainly and, money is time boat fails to turn up and you are left left are you and up turn to fails boat

in civil life with the exception that that exception the with life civil in

the necessary tools, transport, etc. etc. transport, tools, necessary the

We all know what it's like when the the when like it's what know all We

hanging around. It's just the same same the just It's around. hanging

—7, —7,

I became the camp camp the became I

I next moved to 'The Office'. Office'. 'The to moved next I

`in the field' if you do not provide provide not do you if field' the `in

a waste of time having good men men good having time of waste a out a good office organisation. It's It's organisation. office good a out

isation will function efficiently with- efficiently function will isation that in this day and age no organ- no age and day this in that

work but I know from experience experience from know I but work

Commando whilst in the Service. Service. the in whilst Commando I, like most naval types, dislike office office dislike types, naval most like I,

As most readers will know I spent spent I know will readers most As

a lot of my time as a chairbothe chairbothe a as time my of lot a

Beag ended. ended. Beag

I was sorry when my time at Glen Glen at time my when sorry was I

struments experience. In many ways ways many In experience. struments

navigational and fire control in- control fire and navigational

and here I felt some benefit from my my from benefit some felt I here and

ciples of which were straight forward forward straight were which of ciples

engineer's instruments, the basic prin- basic the instruments, engineer's

`Sparky', electrician to you, and and you, to electrician `Sparky',

I was introduced to the various various the to introduced was I

and even did a spot of plumbing ! ! plumbing of spot a did even and

managed to sort out one or two two or one out sort to managed

snags on the electrical installation, installation, electrical the on snags

concrete. concrete.

skeleton frame before putting in the the in putting before frame skeleton

steel reinforcements and setting up a a up setting and reinforcements steel

steel fixing, cutting and bending the the bending and cutting fixing, steel

four weeks, rock drilling, blasting, blasting, drilling, rock weeks, four

daily I thoroughly enjoyed the next next the enjoyed thoroughly I daily

blasting into the rock of the river river the of rock the into blasting

ations. Apart from the trip each way way each trip the from Apart ations.

bed prior to putting in the found- the in putting to prior bed

diverted and we were drilling and and drilling were we and diverted

me, the river had been partially partially been had river the me,

dam though it looked pretty big to to big pretty looked it though dam

of water, I had made several re- several made had I water, of

solutions on my mode of living ! ! living of mode my on solutions

The weir itself was really a small small a really was itself weir The

which provided the necessary head head necessary the provided which the small dam across the stream stream the across dam small the

blood and crying out to 'more air', air', 'more to out crying and blood

toiling up behind. Before reaching reaching Before behind. up toiling up the side of the nearest mountain mountain nearest the of side the up with yours truly, sweating drops of of drops sweating truly, yours with

the job starting with the camps water water camps the with starting job the supply. He suddenly shot off right right off shot suddenly He supply.

The first move was a short tour of of tour short a was move first The

weather beaten features which one one which features beaten weather

associates with ancient mariners. mariners. ancient with associates a man about 60 who had rugged rugged had who 60 about man a

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E.C,1 E.C,1

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Scheme in Glashen, Argyllshire, six- rusty trig. a severe shaking) and so teen miles from Inverary. Off I went on. Hard demanding work in many equipment sticking as you will see At the moment Bob Linscott with via Fort William to Inverary. Here ways, with a 12 hour day in the to air. Jobs completed to date have an ex-Dockyard Diver is doing a with the assistance of 'Mine Hostesses' summer 'as normal drill', though been divided equally between stand- nine months job in standard at of `Macbrides' and 'The George' my naturally a lot of time was spent ard diving and swimming and I Eastney, whilst I have just done a social and domestic problems were getting to the various parts of the believe the pattern will remain the short swimming job in Port Glas- solved and I was to settle down to job. same, the choice of equipment de- gow. about six months work on this con- During all this time the call to get pending on the job. For two large tract. contracts in the offing, involving a My build-up of divers will nat- back into diving was strong. It was urally depend on work in hand very clear to me, however, that to lot of diving, I expect to use standard During this time I had a go at on one, and on the other Aqualungs though I have every hope of build- practically all sides of the job succeed in the diving side of civil ing up a really first-class team main- engineering, obviously the more and Hookah. On another two con- assisting my 'Agent' (the engineer in tracts which we hope to secure, again taining the best traditions of the charge of the job) in whatever way I general experience I had the better. Naval Diving Organisation. However, my Area Manager and my one would use standard and the other could, guided generally by him and Aqualungs only. the other engineers. I think I walked Managing Director had agreed to the more miles in this six months than in principle of my forming a Diving all my 24 years in the service, setting Division and we 'Commissioned' on Home Station Clearance Diving Team out access panels through the peat, 1st January 1960. I was fortunate in H.M.S. "DINGLEY" surveying over the hills the line having by this time Bob Linscott as which n tunnel was to follow, my right hand man which of course EGRETABLY it has been a where apart from night and day checking depth of peat, surveying has been, and will be, a great help long time since Dingley was in attacks, the scallops were up to their fields for the camp site, running a to me. Rthe news, so now is the time to usual standard and abundance. Dur- 'Wells Fargo' service by Land Rover Naturally my aim is to build up a make up for this lapse. The team ing one of these exercises 'The Boss' around the site which covered many team of ex-Naval Divers, my ex- has, however, been kept busy all the and Able Seaman Humphrey had an square miles, preparing plant, etc. perience to date has shown me that time although not much has been unpleasant experience with a sleeping for driving the tunnel, working in the there is a place for both C.D's and written about our activities. dog fish about five feet long (and tunnel itself, costing and statistics in Standard Divers in civil engineering Before the move to 'Pompey' from that is no fisherman's five feet the office, calculating out the results diving work. I have gone in for the 51st M.S.S. in Lochinvar we had either !) The fish in question seemed of the survey (which gave my very Aqualung, Hookah and standard a good variety of jobs. Our pro- to object rather strongly to being gramme started with exercise 'Bill stabbed and instead of swimming Brewer' in Falmouth last June, away, turned on it's assailants. It made three attacks, which were S CR UF F."( R s fortunately deflected with a knife, before it finally gave up and left the pair in peace. After a most enjoyable visit to Kings Lynn, and then through the Keil Canal to Flensburg and Aaben- raa we embarked Lieutenant Com- mander Warner's team and spent a fortnight in Alderney. The accep- tance trials team had a lot of work to do and were backed up by us. As usual, Alderney proved an ideal place for diving and very good fun ashore. Work started in earnest after the summer leave with exercises in the Moray Firth and then a fortnight spent hunting for three 'objects off the Isle of May.' We had the - 9 — www.mcdoa.org.uk

J.G. J.G.

went went

Vernon Vernon

and armed with all all with armed and

Dolphin, Dolphin,

In September, S.O.S.M. Portland Portland S.O.S.M. September, In

Propellor Propellor

A diving team from from team diving A

Before I sign off and go on leave it it leave on go and off sign I Before

At last the practice of sending the the sending of practice the last At

Mask and C.D.B.A. C.D.B.A. and Mask

asked us to send a team down there there down team a send to us asked

and half working days, using Gas Gas using days, working half and

The whole operation took about two two about took operation whole The

damaged propellor and replace it. it. replace and propellor damaged

proceeded to remove a very badly badly very a remove to proceeded

the necessary tools and appliances appliances and tools necessary the

over to to over

Humphrey, Fowles, Carr, France France Carr, Fowles, Humphrey, Carter, Gardner, Corbett, Gould, Gould, Corbett, Gardner, Carter,

and Booth. Booth. and

been out of print for a long time. time. long a for print of out been

know who is in the team as we have have we as team the in is who know

We are Lt. Grattan, Sub.-Lt. Graham Graham Sub.-Lt. Grattan, Lt. are We

might be of interest for the divers to to divers the for interest of be might

(from down under), Chief Bryant, Bryant, Chief under), down (from

Gibraltar becomes an annual visit visit annual an becomes Gibraltar

for the H.S.C.D.T. H.S.C.D.T. the for

good value and we hope that that hope we and value good

the assembled ships. It was very very was It ships. assembled the out night attacks and day dives on on dives day and attacks night out

H.S.C.D.T. to Gibraltar for the the for Gibraltar to H.S.C.D.T.

so we had a fortnight there carrying carrying there fortnight a had we so Spring exercies has been reinstated, reinstated, been has exercies Spring

Bryant and Nutty Carr the winners. winners. the Carr Nutty and Bryant half way through, thus making Chief Chief making thus through, way half

changing the rules of the competition competition the of rules the changing

Boss' was robbed by Doc. Mackay Mackay Doc. by robbed was Boss'

the most per average minute. 'The 'The minute. average per most the

incentive to the man who lifted the the lifted who man the to incentive

an exceedingly nice gesture offered as as offered gesture nice exceedingly an

one ton per minute. The whisky was was whisky The minute. per ton one

two exceeded an average lift of over over of lift average an exceeded two

bottom. It is amazing what people people what amazing is It bottom.

will do for a bottle of whisky, one or or one whisky, of bottle a for do will

possible in the time allowed on the the on allowed time the in possible

weight through one foot as often as as often as foot one through weight

task consisted of lifting a 40 lb. lb. 40 a lifting of consisted task

C.D.B.A. to 180 feet. The diver's diver's The feet. 180 to C.D.B.A.

had a week's 'wet pot' trials on on trials pot' 'wet week's a had

— 11 — — 11 —

Adamant Adamant

changed a pro- a changed

Changing a a Changing

port propeller as she she as propeller port

Vernon Vernon

just before Christmas after a a after Christmas before just

peller on an old 'T' class submar- class 'T' old an on peller

H.M.S. H.M.S.

N 1955 a team of divers from from divers of team a 1955 N

We arrived at our new home in in home new our at arrived We

d although the search was un- was search the although d

ottish B. and M.D. Unit with us us with Unit M.D. and B. ottish

ccessful the experience gained and and gained experience the ccessful

had had a slight accident. accident. slight a had had

iously and asked us to change change to us asked and iously that the submariners took us ser- us took submariners the that

Trespasser's Trespasser's

ere invaluable. invaluable. ere

successful it was not until last July July last until not was it successful Although this trial change was was change trial this Although

ine alongside in Haslar Creek. Creek. Haslar in alongside ine

I

been fit, however, because we had had we because however, fit, been

fully justified. The team should have have should team The justified. fully

hours plus in the pot their fears were were fears their pot the in plus hours therapeutic decompression was en- was decompression therapeutic

visaged. Having experienced six six experienced Having visaged.

a little put out when the idea of a full full a of idea the when out put little a

or two members of the team seemed seemed team the of members two or

man recompression chamber. One One chamber. recompression man

We had ten days there, however, however, there, days ten had We

doing preliminary trials with the one one the with trials preliminary doing

where except Portland after leave. leave. after Portland except where

season we could not really go any- go really not could we season round, and the leave that followed followed that leave the and round,

was most welcome. Being the closed closed the Being welcome. most was

fair drop of `roughers' on the way way the on `roughers' of drop fair

Vernon Vernon

Sassenachs amongst us. us. amongst Sassenachs

heart of the highlands; except by by except highlands; the of heart

possible to describe the beauty of the the of beauty the describe to possible saying that it even affected the worst worst the affected even it that saying

trips we have ever made. It is im- is It made. ever have we trips

one of the most scenic and interesting interesting and scenic most the of one

through the canal is without doubt doubt without is canal the through

carry out trials with H.M.S. H.M.S. with trials out carry

in the Gare Loch. The passage passage The Loch. Gare the in

through the Caledonian Canal to to Canal Caledonian the through

s

'essons learnt in deep tidal waters waters tidal deep in learnt 'essons

) Variety is the spice of life so they they so life of spice the is Variety )

/ say, and we soon were off again again off were soon we and say, / t

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

Telephone 880 880 Telephone

better service service better

— 10 — — 10 —

Members I.N.T.A. I.N.T.A. Members

Telephone 23535 23535 Telephone

and at 30 Branches at Home and Abroad Abroad and Home at Branches 30 at and

ANGLIA HOUSE, HARWICH, ESSEX ESSEX HARWICH, HOUSE, ANGLIA

ly situated branches or the Direct Despatch Department at at Department Despatch Direct the or branches situated ly

6 - 8 QUEEN STREET, PORTSMOUTH, HANTS HANTS PORTSMOUTH, STREET, QUEEN 8 - 6

Uniforms described by a high ranking ranking high a by described Uniforms Additionally, Bernards oiler the facilities facilities the oiler Bernards Additionally,

A credit account may be opened for settle- for opened be may account credit A

Full details of Bernards service will gladly gladly will service Bernards of details Full

A single account with Bernards enables a customer to obtain obtain to customer a enables Bernards with account single A

Head Office: Office: Head

illy personal service through branches and and branches through service personal illy

\ \

ment by Bankers Order or Monthly Admiralty Admiralty Monthly or Order Bankers by ment

widely travelling representives representives travelling widely prices excepting on Hire Purchase accounts accounts Purchase Hire on excepting prices

to really feel and he better dressed. dressed. better he and feel really to

Harwich. Harwich.

be given on request at a branch or to a represent- a to or branch a at request on given be

peccably tailored Meng Wear in the latest up to to up latest the in Wear Meng tailored peccably customer' Bernard by 'dressed the csable trends C. H. BERNARD & SONS LTD. LTD. SONS & BERNARD H. C.

ilit. minute style and cloth designs and Outfitting Outfitting and designs cloth and style minute ilit.

Allotment and purchases may be made at Cash Cash at made be may purchases and Allotment

practically every requirement of his family and self through con- con- through self and family his of requirement every practically of a large departmental store while providing a a providing while store departmental large a of

where only a small charge is made made is charge small a only where

You Really do Buy Better at Bernards Bernards at Better Buy do Really You and Footwear departments abreast of current current of abreast departments Footwear and ative or Head Office and remember remember and Office Head or ative

()Meer as 'the best in Naval Uniforms'; Im- Uniforms'; Naval in best 'the as ()Meer Bernards provide that that provide Bernards

R.M.H. R.M.H.

From whatever whatever From

The main features and operation operation and features main The

You will in fact be getting the con- the getting be fact in will You .' .'

minutes doing hard work. work. hard doing minutes

source is used, the air is led to to led is air the used, is source

maintain two divers at 33 feet for 60 60 for feet 33 at divers two maintain

Supply Panel. Panel. Supply

two 150 cubic foot cylinders would would cylinders foot cubic 150 two

the practical endurance of these these of endurance practical the

cylinders we found during trials that that trials during found we cylinders

time to time. To give some idea of of idea some give To time. to time

to top up the storage cylinders from from cylinders storage the up top to

arly if a small compressor is available available is compressor small a if arly

Aluminium Alloy Storage Cylinders Cylinders Storage Alloy Aluminium

are the best arrangement, particul- arrangement, best the are

H.P. line. For portability and use use and portability For line. H.P.

H.P. air cylinders or ship's L.P. or or L.P. ship's or cylinders air H.P.

from a boat the 150 cubic foot foot cubic 150 the boat a from

from any clean air source such as as such source air clean any from of the new equipment are as follows: follows: as are equipment new the of

Supply. The air supply may be taken taken be may supply air The Supply.

more comfort and economy of air. air. of economy and comfort more

venience of gas mask diving with with diving mask gas of venience

considerably greater safety, infinitely infinitely safety, greater considerably

weight of his outfit. outfit. his of weight

pipe, which just about doubles the the doubles about just which pipe,

out considering the pump and air air and pump the considering out

Standard Diver has to support with- support to has Diver Standard

reserve supply), swim suit and access- and suit swim supply), reserve

stantially less than the equipment the the equipment the than less stantially

ories. The whole lot weighs sub- weighs lot whole The ories.

correct tightness. tightness. correct

device incorporated to obtain the the obtain to incorporated device

has to be used with a measuring measuring a with used be to has

ensuring that the propeller is securely securely is propeller the that ensuring the boss with a hammer so a crane crane a so hammer a with boss the

removing the old one. The only big big only The one. old the removing

fitted. It is no use just tightening up up tightening just use no is It fitted.

problem that may be encountered is is encountered be may that problem

in tightening up the boss nut and and nut boss the up tightening in

— 13 — — 13 —

by `B.F by

O.D.B.A., O.D.B.A.,

Surface Demand Demand Surface

S.E.B.A., S.E.B.A.,

equipment such as S.W.B.A., S.W.B.A., as such equipment

Diving Equipment (S.D.D.E.) (S.D.D.E.) Equipment Diving

ation of short titles for diving diving for titles short of ation

O the bewildering conglomer- bewildering the O

The new propeller is then checked checked then is propeller new The

Control Breathing Apparatus (as (as Apparatus Breathing Control

hose, an adaptation of the Damage Damage the of adaptation an hose,

boats. All that you will need if our our if need will you that All boats.

ders, a panel, a length of 3/8" bore air air bore 3/8" of length a panel, a ders,

cubic foot Aluminium Alloy Cylin- Alloy Aluminium foot cubic

cording to plan is a couple of 150 150 of couple a is plan to cording

development programme goes ac- goes programme development

whole day, with one of his precious precious his of one with day, whole

ing party, and part, perhaps for a a for perhaps part, and party, ing

he feels at having to supply a pump- a supply to having at feels he

watched by the Commander, whose whose Commander, the by watched tedious preparations for diving diving for preparations tedious

jaundiced eye betrays the resentment resentment the betrays eye jaundiced

corselets, etc., with the long and and long the with etc., corselets,

pumps, pumping parties, helmets, helmets, parties, pumping pumps,

fort. No more cumbersome air air cumbersome more No fort.

unlimited endurance under water, water, under endurance unlimited

with a high degree of safety and com- and safety of degree high a with

which is going to take all the pain pain the all take to going is which out of air diving and give almost almost give and diving air of out

titles ? Back to S.D.D.E. however, however, S.D.D.E. to Back ? titles

wonder how many of you can give give can you of many how wonder that I have indicated by their short short their by indicated have I that

the full titles to all these equipments equipments these all to titles full the

by the end of 1961. Incidentally, I I Incidentally, 1961. of end the by

B.I.B.S., B.I.B.S.,

we in A.E.D.U. hope to add S.D.D.E. S.D.D.E. add to hope A.E.D.U. in we

S.C.U.B.A., S.A.B.A. and D.C.B.A., D.C.B.A., and S.A.B.A. S.C.U.B.A.,

S.C.B.A., C.D.B.A., M.D.D.O., M.D.D.O., C.D.B.A., S.C.B.A.,

T

the reverse procedure as used for for used as procedure reverse the

with a new gland ring using almost almost using ring gland new a with

for the correct fit and fitted together together fitted and fit correct the for

off the end of the shaft and hoist it it hoist and shaft the of end the off

clear. clear.

possible to just guide the propeller propeller the guide just to possible fired. This done it should be quite quite be should it done This fired.

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

boss nut using a a using nut boss

from the the from

Plates Plates of the boss with an eyebolt. Tl e e Tl eyebolt. an with boss the of easy out and replaced the end end the replaced and out easy

be removed and the ring brought for- brought ring the and removed be propeller spanner is then lowered lowered then is spanner propeller place the cordtex. Now the threads threads the Now cordtex. the place

holding the gland packing rings can can rings packing gland the holding pleted his job. This done, the nuts nuts the done, This job. his pleted boss nut refuses to budge a turn of of turn a budge to refuses nut boss

hammer the boss is loosened. If the, the, If loosened. is boss the hammer down, and with the aid of a 141b 141b a of aid the with and down,

hoisted inboard, the diver removing removing diver the inboard, hoisted

bad language should have com- have should language bad

ward to leave a space in which to to which in space a leave to ward

boss nut has been taken off and and off taken been has nut boss

tool in the boat and a great deal of of deal great a and boat the in tool

packing ring recess and the charge is is charge the and recess ring packing

cordtex placed round it left handed handed left it round placed cordtex the rope guard using almost every every almost using guard rope the

on the shaft are well packed packed well are shaft the on

with codline and then three turns of of turns three then and codline with

soon loosens it up. By the time the the time the By up. it loosens soon

cordtex are placed in the gland gland the in placed are cordtex

— —

-12

screws. screws.

The Yo. Yo. Team Team Yo. Yo. The

Sentinels Sentinels

port screw quite easily, easily, quite screw port

change both of of both change

Briefly this is how the job is is job the how is this Briefly

After this we were of the opinion opinion the of were we this After

Provided all the conditions are in in are conditions the all Provided

We managed to have both new new both have to managed We

over 24 hours. This job was done done was job This hours. 24 over

propellers securely in place in just just in place in securely propellers

kind that the Submariners threw at at threw Submariners the that kind us. Up in the wilds of Scotland the the Scotland of wilds the in Up us. using Standard Diving Equipment Equipment Diving Standard using

YO. YO. team managed to change change to managed team YO. YO.

using C.D.B.A. only. only. C.D.B.A. using to to

that we could manage any job of this this of job any manage could we that

faVour such as visibility, warmth, warmth, visibility, as such faVour

boat's screw is quite simple. simple. quite is screw boat's

the job of changing an 'S' or 'T' 'T' or 'S' an changing of job the

Seraphs Seraphs

another diver removed the Fish Fish the removed diver another and friendly and helpful depot ships ships depot helpful and friendly and

carried out. Firstly the rope guards guards rope the Firstly out. carried

and Gas Mask. Mask. Gas and are removed, whilst this is going on on going is this whilst removed, are Front view S.D.D.E.

S.D.D.E. Back view www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

After much deliber-

From the N.R.V. the

With the equipment outlined above

ment of N.R.V's placed in the circuit rangement that was required for the hoses it was necessary to have a reserve supply of air. It was greatly the outlet side of the demand valve necessary ballast, fins, boots, etc. the divers exhaled breath passes appreciated that any reserve arrange- the almost unbelievably simple ar- normal circumstances. What was eventualities such as burst or severed diver to breathe comfortably under water seal face mask. By arrange- used with D.C.B.A. and S.A.B.A. the diver has only to put on the 180ft. without ill effects. He has, ation it was decided that to cover via breathing tube and wide vision 120ft., and in fact, for our trials Reserve Supply. ment would inevitably detract from by the divers inspiratory effort down the exhale breathing tube to however, no reserve should the air supply suddenly fail. and then to the outside medium. and he is capable of diving to we carried out really hard work at also appreciated, was that the air The demand valve, breathing tubes and face mask are identical to those For convenience the N.R.V. has causes air to be supplied to the diver been builtin to the D.C.B.A. reducer. Face Mask. air passes to the seat of a tilt type demand valve, which, being operated mediate squeeze if the air supply becomes ruptured near the surface. Demand Valve, Breathing Tubes and close to the diver to prevent im- N.R.V. A short length of similar hose leads the air supply from the belt to a non-return valve has been mounted Inlet N.R.V. In accordance with good surface air supply practice a

14 —

gauges, and

bore of the hose

L.P.

and

air connection.

H.P.

Outlet connections to the diver.

L.P.

H.P. Filter. A reducing valve.

for Inlet connections and valves

!lose. This consists of a rubber-

•

The hose is connected at one end

We found that operating in a

(e) (d)

(b) (c) (a) ( f)

• not be so buoyant as to foul under- buoyant enough not to drag and to the supply panel, and at the other measurement. The hose buoyancy emergency. to a union on the diver's harness. foul everything on the bottom when is approximately 3/8" diameter, with factor was a tricky one, it had to be that the hose should be of consider- 3/4" diameter external maximum diver was operating under a large buoyancy. tideway, suitably weighted as a theless cut through the hose as a tensile pull of 6001bs. (breaking strain 9001bs.). The diver can never- water fittings, barnacles, etc. when the able strength. The hose at present now in use is just less than neutral walking/crawling diver, demanded list resort to -free himself in an reducer is set to supply air to the ised fabric hose made up in lengths task in hand. The and yet on the other hand it must in use is designed to withstand a ship. The solution of course, had to be a compromise and the hose of 60ft. to facilitate the appropriate a diver was systematically searching,

ional I lb/sq. in. for every foot the Air underwater cutting torch. The quantity being assembled for the to that used to supply gas to the diver at 1001bs./sq. in. plus an addit- diver submerges. When 150 cu. ft. cylinders are used the system operates in a similar way

or stops stops or

L.P., L.P.,

After preliminary functioning tests, tests, functioning preliminary After

reasoned that, if an emergency emergency an if that, reasoned

arises, such as a burst air hose or or hose air burst a as such arises,

To back this argument further, we we further, argument this back To

cylinder was the best arrangement. arrangement. best the was cylinder

atic supply from the , main reserve reserve main , the from supply atic reasoned that in an emergency the the emergency an in that reasoned

situation the better, and that autom- that and better, the situation

less the diver has to do to save the the save to do to has diver the less

gas but on the other hand we we hand other the on but gas

need arose. This of course gave the the gave course of This arose. need

the main control if, and when, the the when, and if, control main the

We thought of this, and in our early early our in and this, of thought We

trials we had both reserve cylinders cylinders reserve both had we trials

diver twice the amount of reserve reserve of amount the twice diver

switched off, and the diver operated operated diver the and off, switched

as a true reserve to 'come home' on. on. home' 'come to reserve true a as

the face of it, that the diver has only only has diver the that it, of face the the contents of his main reserve reserve main his of contents the

one of his twin D.C.B.A. cylinders cylinders D.C.B.A. twin his of one equalising valve, and return to the the to return and valve, equalising

surface. This means of course, on on course, of means This surface.

serve, and must operate the reserve reserve the operate must and serve,

At this stage he knows he is on re- on is he knows he stage this At

task, he will eventually breathe down down breathe eventually will he task,

breathing from the reserve. If he he If reserve. the from breathing

cylinder to a stage when inhale re- inhale when stage a to cylinder

remains in ignorance of the primary primary the of ignorance in remains

air supply failure and remains at his his at remains and failure supply air

being aware of the fact, commence commence fact, the of aware being

ically, and in all probability without without probability all in and ically,

sistance becomes significantly greater greater significantly becomes sistance

altogether, the diver will automat- will diver the altogether,

that of the reserve reserve the of that

no air from his reserve. If however, however, If reserve. his from air no the surface supply pressure drops to to drops pressure supply surface the

this situation remains, the diver uses uses diver the remains, situation this

plied from the reducer, and whilst whilst and reducer, the from plied

reserve supply switched on. The air air The on. switched supply reserve

supply from the surface is normally normally is surface the from supply

at a higher pressure than that sup- that than pressure higher a at

air hose, and with air from his his from air with and hose, air

air supplied from the surface via the the via surface the from supplied air

the diver enters the water breathing breathing water the enters diver the

valve to the demand valve via a first first a via valve demand the to valve

cylinder is supplied through a control control a through supplied is cylinder

cylinder through an equalising valve. valve. equalising an through cylinder

cylinder is used to replenish the main main the replenish to used is cylinder

1,200 litres of air. Air from the main main the from Air air. of litres 1,200 stage reducer. Air from the second second the from Air reducer. stage

— 17 — — 17 —

The The

The form that the reserve air air reserve the that form The

pressure of 3,6001bs. sq. in. contain contain in. sq. 3,6001bs. of pressure

reserve air supply is contained in the the in contained is supply air reserve

charged to their maximum working working maximum their to charged

twin D.C.B.A. cylinders, which when when which cylinders, D.C.B.A. twin

minor nature compared with having having with compared nature minor

Reserve Supply Operation. Operation. Supply Reserve

to design a completely new system system new completely a design to

nections, etc., but these were of a a of were these but etc., nections,

from scratch. scratch. from

modate ballast weights, hose con- hose weights, ballast modate

modification was necessary to accom- to necessary was modification

service equipment anyway. Some Some anyway. equipment service

going to be a standard piece of of piece standard a be to going

tubes, mask and harness, and was was and harness, and mask tubes,

air supply, demand valve, breathing breathing valve, demand supply, air

atus were tremendous. It automat- It tremendous. were atus

through the standard manhole. manhole. standard the through reserve our with us provided ically

the diver's back, weighs only 301bs., 301bs., only weighs back, diver's the

worn to enable a man to pass pass to man a enable to worn

S.A.B.A., and sits very snugly on on snugly very sits and S.A.B.A.,

The advantages of using this appar- this using of advantages The

and is sufficiently compact when when compact sufficiently is and

our development of the D.C.B.A. D.C.B.A. the of development our

which was then in the prototype prototype the in then was which

stage. In essence this is a baby baby a is this essence In stage.

supply should take came to us from from us to came take should supply

panel without the diver being aware aware being diver the without panel

of it, but more about the operation operation the about more but it, of

later. later.

completely disconnected from the the from disconnected completely

reserve would automatically cut in in cut automatically would reserve trials that the air supply could be be could supply air the that trials

the diver. This worked so well in in well so worked This diver. the

without any action on the part of of part the on action any without

the failure of the main supply, the the supply, main the of failure the

The die having been cast, we decided decided we cast, been having die The

diver had just exhaled whilst working working whilst exhaled just had diver

under the keel of, say, an aircraft aircraft an say, of, keel the under

desire to make diving safe dict- safe diving make to desire to go further and arrange that, on on that, arrange and further go to

particularly if there is little or no no or little is there if particularly ated that a reserve must be provided provided be must reserve a that ated

carrier. Free ascent is by no means means no by is ascent Free carrier.

visibility. Common sense and the the and sense Common visibility.

in spite of the inevitable complication. complication. inevitable the of spite in

supply might conceivably fail as the the as fail conceivably might supply

simple under these circumstances circumstances these under simple I I

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

:1(.4 .tk .tk :1(.4

taste taste

PLAYER'S PLAYER'S better better www.mcdoa.org.uk

failure of surface supply, it is almost S.C.B.A. — Swimmer Canoeist Current trials include the Surface small size will be the standard certain that the diver or his attendant Breathing Apparatus — used by Demand Diving Equipment to re- attendant craft for divers. The will very soon become aware of the R.M's. place Standard Diving Equipment in propulsion unit will be a Johnson 10 fact, and the diver will surface, or be C.D.B.A. — Clearance Diving the Fleet. (More details of this h.p. outboard motor. called to the surface, before the con- Breathing Apparatus. breathing system are included in a There have been several changes tents of his main cylinder are ex- M.D.D.O. — Mine Disposal Div- seperate article in this edition). In in the Acceptance Trials team since pended. ing Outfit. addition we are doing trials with an the last magazine was published. S.D.D.E. is now being put through B.I.B.S. — Built-in Breathing underwater telephone as part of the Able Seaman Phipps has unfor- its acceptance trials by the H.M.S. System. Used in Submarines. S.A.B.A. accessories. tunately spent a considerable period Vernon Trials Team. If they achieve S.E.B.A. — Submarine Escape News of the Gemmi Dinghy is in hospital and will very soon be their target of 1,000 hours diving, Breathing Apparatus. Used in much more encouraging and no invalided from the Service. Leading Submarines. covering every conceivable appli- doubt many of the C.D. teams will Seaman Drain is off to Singapore O.D.B.A. — Oxygen Decompress- cation of the equipment, without any have received them before reading and Able Seaman Pilling is doing a major complaints, the fleet should ion Breathing Apparatus—used this. For the uninitiated a Gemmi is C.D.2's course before going to H.M.S. get a thoroughly tested replacement in Recompression Chambers. a small craft consisting of a U Brenchley. The present team con- for Standard Diving Equipment in S.C.U.B.A. — Self Contained shaped inflatable buoyancy tube sists of Lieut.-Commander Warner, Underwater Breathing Appar- 1961. bonded to a wooden transom and a Petty Officer Howe, Leading Sea- atus — Collective American man Davies, Able Seaman Eagan, By the way, if you don't know the flexible but fairly stiff floor. The title for all self-contained sets. buoyancy tube is sub-divided into and Able Seaman Sharp. interpretation of the lettered symbols S.A.B.A. — Swimmers' Air Breath- five seperate compartments each As a point of interest the lobsters given at the beginning of this article, ing Apparatus. here they are :— fitted with a combined Inflation/ and crabs are back in the Ports- D.C.B.A. — Damage Control Deflation Safety-Relief Valve. They mouth Area for those that know S.W.B.A.—Shallow Water Breath- Breathing Apparatus. come in various sizes but so far, the where to find them ! ing Apparatus — Obsolescent S.D.D.E. — Surface Demand with introduction of S.A.B.A. Diving Equipment. Divers' Underwater Clearance Diving Communication System Acceptance Trials Team Notes (D.U.C.S.) would like to take this opport- junction with neck seals and like the by T.H.G. unity of thanking all divers for mitts, are very warm even in the I T is hoped that soon after the intro- consisted of a microphone earpiece their most generous contribution coldest water. With a little luck we inside the diver's helmet, a light to the Sarginson Fund. I consider ' should be able to replace all our duction into service of S.A.B.A.. Iand D.C.B.A., a lightweight tele- cable to the surface and a small that it was a noble effort on every- bulky woollens and underclothes by amplifier using miniature valves body's part and we were able to turn phone between attendant and diver foam rubber or neophrene in the which feed the system and was over a total of £158. Both `sarge' future. will be introduced. It is a simple device, but, like all such, has had a operated by very small batteries. and his wife have expressed their The possibilities of the system, which sincere appreciation of your efforts. It is also the intention to replace chequered development and an inter- the diver's torch with a new type of esting history. It originated when worked but was delicate and very Acceptance Trials of new equip- headlamp operated by a sea cell and Commander Harland, a former accident prone, were obvious. For ment have been going ahead at full designed rather like a miner's lamp. Superintendent of Diving in H.M.S. training or for any operation where speed and I hope that you will be Under normal conditions it is carried Vernon, was carrying out his grand a swimmer or diver was on a line, an seeing the results in equipment on a spring clip attached to the wide tour of Europe in 1954. In Sweden, attendant wearing a head set, ear- supplied to the Fleet in the near vision face mask straps, but it can he saw a 'toy' underwater telephone pieces and microphone, and with future. Not the least important of easily be taken off and used as a called the 'Quack', strictly for 'Aqua the amplifier in his jacket pocket, our trials has been the making and hand torch. There is no doubt that Hams' (any resemblance between could hear the diver breathing and trying of sponge rubber hoods and this is far superior to the present their name and the title of our tele- talking, and needed only one hand mitts. The hoods are used in con- hand torch. phone is purely deliberate !) It to press a switch to reply. - 19 - — 18 — www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

There were weaknesses to be over- although the difficulties of speech i come before this could be engineered through the mouthpiece were not into a piece of service equipment — solved, -the outfit was considered How do you choose your Tailor ? and a lot of paper to move around promising enough in 1957 for a There are many answers to this question, among them— i before it could appear on A.E.D.U's development contract to be placed job list. However between 1954 and with Messrs. E. K. Cole Ltd. to by looking for the best selection of styles and materials, 1957 a good deal of preliminary manufacture six sets of D.U.C.S. expert fitting and tailoring, reasonable prices, good de- work was carried out in A.E.D.U. to The D.U.C.S. outfits received from livery etc. All these can be obtained from FLEMINGS overcome the obvious weaknesses. Ekco are jolly good — all the trials The attendants headset was now a right up to date -have been carried who are specialists in the creation of good clothes — piece of service equipment, strong out on the original six amplifiers. consulted by men who insist on being well-dressed. and proven; a small prototype They are, as you can see from the amplifier had been made and tried; photograph, quite small in size and We suggest with conviction that it will be well worth i a lightweight lifeline/cable was de- very strong and tough. Each is a your while to consult us regarding all your clothing i signed and produced and 'C' Type transistorised job using, as far as hoods fitted with earpieces and in- possible, available service compon- problems, as it is only natural that in the course of i tended for use in other service ents, and the whole lot 'potted' into fifty years, we should understand the requirements of applications, matched to the lifeline a moulded transparent plastic box. those who who serve in ships and on shore. and transmitter. The A.E.D.U. 'dip- There is only one switch, the 'press- i boffins' had tried it out in this form to-talk' switch. Connecting up the The service that we now offer is so all embracing that i and so had the E.C.D.U. and headset energises the circuit. The you can shop with us and find all your requirements i available to you, whatever they may be. Credit facilities either by Admiralty Allotment or Bankers Order are always at your disposal. i ONE account with US will help to solve ALL your i problems. Good clothes are made by i A. FLEMING & CO. i (OUTFITTERS) LTD. i HEAD OFFICES : i I P.O. BOX No. 3, HAY ST. & PORTLAND ST., i PORTSMOUTH Phone: 24251 (3 lines) 'Grams: "Nayserge" Portsmouth Local Branches: i 11 EDINBURGH ROAD, PORTSMOUTH i i i Trafalgar Services Club, Edinburgh Road i i Branches at i I PLYMOUTH • WEYMOUTH • DUNFERMLINE • MALTA i Also at H.M.S. MERCURY it Members of the Interport Naval Traders' Association L,,...... —..--...... —...... „4 — 20 — — 21 — www.mcdoa.org.uk

Several cables cables Several

For electrical reasons reasons electrical For

picking up the vibrations made made vibrations the up picking

vibrating against the bones when when bones the against vibrating

So now we can get the two ends ends two the get can we now So

but not too light or it will float up up float will it or light too not but

more bright ideas still cooking. For For cooking. still ideas bright more have been tried and we have one or two two or one have we and tried been have

working, at the surface, and at the the at and surface, the at working,

diver, provided that we can join join can we that provided diver, bottom. bottom.

enough to handle, flexible but tough, tough, but flexible handle, to enough

essential — we recently tried a single single a tried recently we — essential

them together by a suitable cable. cable. suitable a by together them

by the diver is plain and quite dis- quite and plain is diver the by not too heavy or it will sink and snag, snag, and sink will it or heavy too not and training purposes the equipment equipment the purposes training and

We need the cable to be strong strong be to cable the need We

core with earth return through the the through return earth with core

either co-axial or twin core cable is is cable core twin or co-axial either

straight up and down booted diving diving booted down and up straight

and drag or foul when under a ship's ship's a under when foul or drag and

This is giving us some problems too. too. problems some us giving is This

`a still, small but very clear voice voice clear very but small still, `a

side interference. interference. side

very high hopes for it. it. for hopes high very sea but this picks up too much out- out- much too up picks this but sea

mouthpiece in can be received and and received be can in mouthpiece

hood, or tucked inside a wet hood. hood. wet a inside tucked or hood, talking inside your ear'. We have have We ear'. your inside talking

It is very sensitive and speech with a a with speech and sensitive very is It

tinctive. It has been described as as described been has It tinctive.

understood at the surface. Reception Reception surface. the at understood

under the straps of the face mask mask face the of straps the under

against the outside of the 'C' Type Type 'C' the of outside the against

the top of the head. It can be tucked tucked be can It head. the of top the

results as a transceiver. It works by by works It transceiver. a as results

tight case and is giving very good good very giving is and case tight Messrs. Fortiphone Ltd., supplied supplied Ltd., Fortiphone Messrs.

by speech in the bones of the face face the of bones the in speech by can pick these up. It can be worn worn be can It up. these pick can

us with bits and with technical in- technical with and bits with us against the cheek or jaw bone, bone, jaw or cheek the against

phone has been put into a water- a into put been has phone speech is put into it so that the ear ear the that so it into put is speech

easier. The modified version micro- version modified The easier.

until it worked as a very sensitive sensitive very a as worked it until microphone. The manufacturers, manufacturers, The microphone.

and head and transmitting them; them; transmitting and head and

against the middle of the forehead, or or forehead, the of middle the against

(b) (b)

formation, making the job that much much that job the making formation,

(a) (a)

fied the bone conductor accordingly accordingly conductor bone the fied

— Z3 — — Z3 —

At this time, in this country any- country this in time, this At

Electrical Dept. known to many of of many to known Dept. Electrical right acoustic frequencies, and modi- modi- and frequencies, acoustic right

of tape recordings they picked the the picked they recordings tape of

the possibilities. By making a series series a making By possibilities. the

promise as a microphone. Phil Payne Payne Phil microphone. a as promise

you ! — were very quick to exploit exploit to quick very were — ! you

`ears' in general with them this this them with general in `ears' ception at the ear and showed some some showed and ear the at ception

and Fred Noad — the A.E.D.U. A.E.D.U. the — Noad Fred and result they sent us a 'deaf aid' type type aid' 'deaf a us sent they result

bone conductor. conductor. bone

particular problem came up. As a a As up. came problem particular

way, bone conductors had been used used been had conductors bone way, one we received gave very good re- good very gave received we one

only as earpieces in deaf-aids. The The deaf-aids. in earpieces as only

Dept. to me) of a London Hospital Hospital London a of me) to Dept.

of course, and while discussing discussing while and course, of

only last year — but then occurred a a occurred then but — year last only

making some prototype rubber masks masks rubber prototype some making

lucky break. The 'Otological Re- 'Otological The break. lucky for them. We were happy to help, help, to happy were We them. for

too — which I will come to later. later. to come will I which — too approached S. of D. for help in in help for D. of S. approached

ticularly as there were 'cable' troubles troubles 'cable' were there as ticularly

position was considered too great. great. too considered was position Despite strengthened straps, the the straps, strengthened Despite

All this activity was, as you can can you as was, activity this All

piece removed there was a strong strong a was there removed piece This 'dead end' was reached, in fact, fact, in reached, was end' 'dead This search Unit' (Earhole Exploration Exploration (Earhole Unit' search

better results because the mouth- the because results better

danger of flooding a mask in this this in mask a flooding of danger

imagine, pretty time-consuming, par- time-consuming, pretty imagine,

`operation' being carried out on the the on out carried being `operation'

a definite weakness in the drill. drill. the in weakness definite a

Swimming face upward, with the the with upward, face Swimming piece could be removed for short short for removed be could piece

plastic block of the amplifier to to amplifier the of block plastic tom searches with S.A.B.A. revealed revealed S.A.B.A. with searches tom tendency for the mask to lift. lift. to mask the for tendency

Unfortunately the improvement was was improvement the Unfortunately

match it up to the new impedances. impedances. new the to up it match

playing with the protypes of the wide- the of protypes the with playing

vision face mask and began to get get to began and mask face vision

conversations. However, ships bot- ships However, conversations.

not sufficient. At this time we were were we time this At sufficient. not demand valve down, and mouth- and down, valve demand

ceivers and this necessitated an an necessitated this and ceivers was made to small magnetic trans- magnetic small to made was

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positional changes made it difficult difficult it made changes positional

for the diver to hear. A change over over change A hear. to diver the for

It was all right when right over the the over right when right all was It

the pressure caught it), but small small but it), caught pressure the

piece, distorted speech so that it it that so speech distorted piece, ear (but liable to get painful when when painful get to liable (but ear

change of voice with depth and par- and depth with voice of change Similar troubles but to a less degree, degree, less a to but troubles Similar were experienced with the earpiece. earpiece. the with experienced were

ticularly speaking round the mouth- the round speaking ticularly

couldn't be understood at the surface. surface. the at understood be couldn't

microphone — siting it at the throat, throat, the at it siting — microphone

possible trick was tried with the the with tried was trick possible

the jaw and the cheek, as well as in in as well as cheek, the and jaw the

front of the mouth — it just wasn't wasn't just it — mouth the of front

sensitive enough. Background noise, noise, Background enough. sensitive

used, one as the microphone and one one and microphone the as one used,

as the earpiece. Although every every Although earpiece. the as

and two crystal transceivers were were transceivers crystal two and

nesses. The arrangement of the 'C' 'C' the of arrangement The nesses.

with other gear under development, development, under gear other with Type hood had been kept common common kept been had hood Type

- 22 - - 22 -

Trials with the original outfit outfit original the with Trials

showed it to be efficient and useful useful and efficient be to it showed but revealed some unexpected weak- weak- unexpected some revealed but

both for training and operation — — operation and training for both

conditions but there was always always was there but conditions he tried to talk with the mouthpiece mouthpiece the with talk to tried he

outfit worked well under laboratory laboratory under well worked outfit

difficulty in hearing the diver when when diver the hearing in difficulty

in. in.

wire supplies the main strength and and strength main the supplies wire

you consider the diameter of the the of diameter the consider you

centre core. A phosphor bronze strain strain bronze phosphor A core. centre the outside diameter is small. The The small. is diameter outside the

quite a piece of design work when when work design of piece a quite

the water using this. It is a co-axial co-axial a is It this. using water the

cable of low electrical inpedance — inpedance electrical low of cable

that a diver in difficulties — even even — difficulties in diver a that

flooded — can be lifted right out of of out right lifted be can — flooded nectors between. It is designed to to designed is It between. nectors

stand a breaking load of 5001bs so so 5001bs of load breaking a stand

feet lengths with watertight con- watertight with lengths feet cable was supplied in 50 and 100 100 and 50 in supplied was cable

* *

* *

* *

Cox Bolt Gun Gun Bolt Cox

Being a somewhat high powered powered high somewhat a Being

At some time during Commander Commander during time some At

.' .'

is now an empty hulk and will be be will and hulk empty an now is

mainly 'brass' and dockyard officials, officials, dockyard and 'brass' mainly

we fleet divers were observing on tip tip on observing were divers fleet we

gathering of some 30 or 40 people, people, 40 or 30 some of gathering

bolt was capable of withstanding a a withstanding of capable was bolt

out. The implications for salvage salvage for implications The out.

in the dockyard's plating shed, and and shed, plating dockyard's the in

high tensile stress without coming coming without stress tensile high place by the friction of entry. This This entry. of friction the by place

were enormous. enormous. were

bolt could be embedded; welded in in welded embedded; be could bolt

gun against a steel plate, a screwed screwed a plate, steel a against gun

Commander Wheeler and his able able his and Wheeler Commander

strate how, at the mere thrust of the the of thrust mere the at how, strate

diver assistant commenced to demon- to commenced assistant diver

him. A large party duly assembled assembled duly party large A him.

kindly offered a demonstration to all all to demonstration a offered kindly

driving gun he had brought with with brought had he gun driving

concerned of a recently invented bolt bolt invented recently a of concerned

Wheeler's day in Alexandria he he Alexandria in day Wheeler's

the form of temporary repairs. repairs. temporary of form the

Organisation were flown out to to out flown were Organisation

Alexandria to make a survey of the the of survey a make to Alexandria

Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Salvage Glasgow and Liverpool

damage and recommendations as to to as recommendations and damage

an expert salvage diver from the the from diver salvage expert an

trust a vessel which tries to sink sink to tries which vessel a trust Sunday afternoons. afternoons. Sunday

herself and have Viking funerals on on funerals Viking have and herself

scrapped shortly. It is sad to part part to sad is It shortly. scrapped

company with a ship which has has which ship a with company

served us so well but you cannot cannot you but well so us served

"DEEPWATER" "DEEPWATER"

branch and queer somebody's pitch. pitch. somebody's queer and branch

bers of the branch, they might un- might they branch, the of bers

willingly indoctrinate the Stores Stores the indoctrinate willingly

by the Stores branch. Candidates for for Candidates branch. Stores the by

because, being long standing mem- standing long being because,

C.D.1 are not being indoctrinated indoctrinated being not are C.D.1

— 25 — — 25 —

by `B.F by

and the the and

* *

a Temple Temple a

* *

Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Queen

* *

and an oil tanker. The loss loss The tanker. oil an and

users of that wonderful invention, invention, wonderful that of users

have been introduced to protect protect to introduced been have

EVERAL safety arrangements arrangements safety EVERAL

A Son of of Son A

My own untoward experience with with experience untoward own My

C.D.2's courses will in future future in will courses C.D.2's

Leading Seaman Kissack's twelve twelve Kissack's Seaman Leading

this end, Commander Wheeler, and and Wheeler, Commander end, this be restored to fighting fitness. To To fitness. fighting to restored be

they could be sent to repair yards to to yards repair to sent be could they

in trying to patch them up so that that so up them patch to trying in

crippling blow and no time was lost lost was time no and blow crippling

of these units to the fleet was a a was fleet the to units these of

Harbour and succeeded in immobil- in succeeded and Harbour

Valiant, Valiant,

torpedoman penetrated Alexandria Alexandria penetrated torpedoman

the fateful day. An Italian human human Italian An day. fateful the

casualty. December 19th 1941 was was 1941 19th December casualty. ising the the ising

and I might even have been its first first its been have even might I and the gun occurred in its early days, days, early its in occurred gun the

improper handling, and the classic, classic, the and handling, improper

without even pinning his ears back ; ; back ears his pinning even without

happening; some caused by charge charge by caused some happening; where an ill directed bolt went went bolt directed ill an where straight through a diver's helmet helmet diver's a through straight

as perhaps it should have done. done. have should it perhaps as

inconsistencies, several owing to to owing several inconsistencies,

Most of us have heard of accidents accidents of heard have us of Most

the Temple Cox Bolt Driving Gun. Gun. Driving Bolt Cox Temple the

S

include two days of indoctrination indoctrination of days two include

STOREKEEPING. STOREKEEPING. duly rolled on and he went outside. outside. went he and on rolled duly

Within a month he came back and and back came he month a Within

said it was deadly out there. there. out deadly was it said be interested to hear from any divers divers any from hear to interested be

WELCOME HOME. HOME. WELCOME

requiring employment and is par- is and employment requiring

can't get along without Arthur Smee. Smee. Arthur without along get can't

a 'winger come storekeeper'. He just just He storekeeper'. come 'winger a

ticularly keen at the moment to find find to moment the at keen ticularly 1

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(Retd.) (Retd.)

* *

* *

(Retd.) tells tells (Retd.)

R.N. R.N.

in the United United the in

R.N. R.N.

* *

* *

Shoulton Shoulton

H. Wardle, Wardle, H.

* *

* *

Congratulations to Petty Officer Officer Petty to Congratulations

Lt.-Cdr. Gutteridge also reports reports also Gutteridge Lt.-Cdr.

A welcome letter from Lt.-Cdr. Lt.-Cdr. from letter welcome A

Lt.-Cdr. Lt.-Cdr.

Portland ; and to Able Seaman Pilling, Pilling, Seaman Able to and ; Portland

East for working so well on the the on well so working for East

Lardner, who was commended by by commended was who Lardner, work on a crashed helicopter off off helicopter crashed a on work

Gordon Gutteridge, Gutteridge, Gordon

commended by the C.-in-C. Far Far C.-in-C. the by commended

us he is with the Steel Corporation Corporation Steel the with is he us Japanese Submarine in Singapore. Singapore. in Submarine Japanese

Her Majesty The Queen for good good for Queen The Majesty Her

COMMENDATIONS. COMMENDATIONS. muda. They 'are hoping to go in for for in go to hoping 'are They muda.

Salisbury and is in the process of of process the in is and Salisbury

States. States.

future and will be looking for steel steel for looking be will and future having made pleasant social contact contact social pleasant made having cutters with some diving knowledge !' !' knowledge diving some with cutters

with H.M.S. H.M.S. with

BERMUDA. BERMUDA.

with the C.D. Team now operating operating now Team C.D. the with shipbreaking in the not too distant distant too not the in shipbreaking

CIVIL ENGINEERING. ENGINEERING. CIVIL

(Bermuda) Ltd., Ireland Island, Ber- Island, Ireland Ltd., (Bermuda)

Naval Stores. Stores. Naval

forming a Diving Division. He will will He Division. Diving a forming and Mallik Ltd. of Milford Manor, Manor, Milford of Ltd. Mallik and

is now firmly established with Reed Reed with established firmly now is

Remember at the end of all this, this, all of end the at Remember

production drawings have to be be to have drawings production

facture completed before it gets into into gets it before completed facture

finalised, orders placed and manu- and placed orders finalised,

when it is fully accepted, all the the all accepted, fully is it when

long winded getting into service. service. into getting winded long

help to show why things — simple simple — things why show to help

seeming in themselves — appear so so appear — themselves in seeming

very many developments under way way under developments many very

in A.E.D.U. and I hope its story will will story its hope I and A.E.D.U. in

like it when you get it. It is one of of one is It it. get you when it like

—24- —24-

M.B.E., M.B.E.,

hope). hope).

Buddy Lines' Lines' Buddy

* *

(I (I

Royal Engineers Engineers Royal

The award was in in was award The

on his provisional provisional his on

* *

R.N. R.N.

Lt. (S.D.) E. L. Graham, Graham, L. E. (S.D.) Lt.

M.B.E. M.B.E.

* *

M.B.E., G.M. G.M. M.B.E.,

and Lt. (S.D.) A. Wright, Wright, A. (S.D.) Lt. and

Great news to the branch you you branch the to news Great

In our last issue we erroneously erroneously we issue last our In

Congratulations, too, to Lt.-Cdr. Lt.-Cdr. to too, Congratulations,

Congratulations to Major A. B. B. A. Major to Congratulations

Congratulations to Lt.-Cdr. Lt.-Cdr. to Congratulations

The D.U.C.S. is illustrated. It is is It illustrated. is D.U.C.S. The

Medal for his work on U.X.B's in in U.X.B's on work his for Medal

mander. The Diving branch will will branch Diving The mander.

been awarded the George Cross to to Cross George the awarded been

promotion, and we hope all divers divers all hope we and promotion,

Hartley, Hartley, London last year. year. last London

of the Bomb Disposal Unit, Hor- Unit, Disposal Bomb the of

achievement to run away with us. us. with away run to achievement

for a brighter diving future. future. diving brighter a for no longer be all medals and no no and medals all be longer no

R.N. R.N.

will see this promotion as an omen omen an as promotion this see will

we allowed our delight in your your in delight our allowed we

stated that Lt. P. J. Messervy had had Messervy J. P. Lt. that stated R.A.N. R.A.N.

fact the George Medal. Sorry Pete, Pete, Sorry Medal. George the fact add to his his to add

DECORATIONS. DECORATIONS.

T. Wilson, Wilson, T.

selection for promotion to Com- to promotion for selection illuminate so brightly. brightly. so illuminate

B.E.M., R.N., R.N., B.E.M.,

PROMOTION. PROMOTION.

sham, on being awarded the George George the awarded being on sham,

(S.D.) W. Y. McLanachan, McLanachan, Y. W. (S.D.)

where in this Magazine. I hope you you hope I Magazine. this in where S.D.D.E. which is described else- described is which S.D.D.E.

of the amplifier ! It will be used with with used be will It ! amplifier the of

really so simple that the complete complete the that simple so really S.A.B.A. and eventually with with eventually and S.A.B.A.

instructions are printed on the side side the on printed are instructions

problem is nearly beaten beaten nearly is problem

under ship's bottoms. However the the However bottoms. ship's under

in the other to use when swimming or or swimming when use to other the in

is too heavy in one case and too weak weak too and case one in heavy too is we have is adequate — but the cable cable the but — adequate is have we

Agincourt, Carysfort, Carysfort, Agincourt,

N.O.R. Narvik. Narvik. N.O.R.

and and

We have also given diving demon- diving given also have We

Since Londonderry Corporation Corporation Londonderry Since

Since the last Edition we have have we Edition last the Since

I did not find out the real cause of of cause real the out find not did I

ing Baths to let them see our U.B.A., U.B.A., our see them let to Baths ing

and it finished up with giving them a a them giving with up finished it and Sub-Aqua Club. As regards the the regards As Club. Sub-Aqua

Marines, Army Units and the Belfast Belfast the and Units Army Marines,

latter, we went to the Belfast Swimm- Belfast the to went we latter,

Undine Undine

strations to Sea Cadets, Royal Royal Cadets, Sea to strations

year we have availed outselves of its its of outselves availed have we year not monthly Dippers !) !) Dippers monthly not

Swimming Baths opened early this this early opened Baths Swimming

facilities for training, etc. (the team, team, (the etc. training, for facilities

Contest, Jutland, Saintes, Ulysses, Ulysses, Saintes, Jutland, Contest,

Cavendish, Zest, Eastbourne, Whitby, Whitby, Eastbourne, Zest, Cavendish,

exercised divers from many visiting visiting many from divers exercised

ships, including including ships,

early stage. stage. early

the accident but presumably the the presumably but accident the

special 'D' bolts for the high quality quality high the for bolts 'D' special

I was saved the unloading procedure procedure unloading the saved was I

ition with me ever since. since. ever me with ition steel had not been thought of at that that at of thought been not had steel

carried a ready use piece of ammun- of piece use ready a carried

for the Temple Cox Gun and I've I've and Gun Cox Temple the for

place and had been sterilised by by sterilised been had and place

friction of entry into the thigh. Thus Thus thigh. the into entry of friction

ever, it being considered that the the that considered being it ever, Diving Team Team Diving

splinter had lodged in a harmless harmless a in lodged had splinter

to remove the offending body. There There body. offending the remove to was an eleventh hour reprieve how- reprieve hour eleventh an was

eventually prepared for the operation operation the for prepared eventually

me to hospital in the car at his his at car the in hospital to me

disposal where I was X-Rayed and and X-Rayed was I where disposal

gory river and he soon informed informed soon he and river gory The Commander immediately took took immediately Commander The

Scudder, the lower reaches of the the of reaches lower the Scudder, Commander Wheeler of the casualty. casualty. the of Wheeler Commander

assembly so I solved the problem by by problem the solved I so assembly

showing the Diving Chief, Bill Bill Chief, Diving the showing

- 27 - - 27 -

18/12/59 18/12/59

H.M.S. "SEA EAGLE" EAGLE" "SEA H.M.S.

Ark Royal. Royal. Ark

Verulam. Verulam.

Londonderry Londonderry

is nearly 12 months since we last last we since months 12 nearly is

Torquay. Torquay.

0./Sea McKiernan, S.W.D. S.W.D. McKiernan, 0./Sea

HE team now consists of:— of:— consists now team HE

S.-Lt. Hillman (S.D.) T.A.S. T.A.S. (S.D.) Hillman S.-Lt. A.B. Roche, S.W.D. S.W.D. Roche, A.B.

C.P.O. Edwards, D.I. D.I. Edwards, C.P.O. A.B. Culpin, Culpin, A.B.

A.B. Halliday to to Halliday A.B.

A.B. Lees to to Lees A.B.

Lt. Boon, D.S.M. (S.D.) T.A.S. to to T.A.S. (S.D.) D.S.M. Boon, Lt.

Changes in the above since the last last the since above the in Changes

.It .It

report ! As we go on leave to-day to-day leave on go we As ! report

factory year's progress. progress. year's factory

we can look back over a very satis- very a over back look can we

made an offering, so this is some- is this so offering, an made

thing in the nature of an annual annual an of nature the in thing

report:— report:— rr

prove it, by exhibiton, in front of the the of front in exhibiton, by it, prove

ion. I didn't want to be made to to made be to want didn't I ion.

didn't think they would credit the the credit would they think didn't

`collected' one of the pieces was was pieces the of one `collected'

fact, in view of my rearguard posit- rearguard my of view in fact,

something of a problem because I I because problem a of something

announce the fact that I had had I that fact the announce

the 'one that got away'. How to to How away'. got that 'one the

was still being shown in the bits of of bits the in shown being still was place. By now the whole leg was was leg whole the now By place.

into the shed where intense interest interest intense where shed the into

mass of hairy pedestals, as its resting resting its as pedestals, hairy of mass

bolt had sorted out my leg from the the from leg my out sorted had bolt

becoming numb so I hobbled back back hobbled I so numb becoming

greeted my eyes. It was evident that that evident was It eyes. my greeted

a piece of shrapnel from the shattered shattered the from shrapnel of piece a

had a private look. A gory mess that that mess gory A look. private a had

was fast becoming a river of blood blood of river a becoming fast was

of the building and round the back back the round and building the of

where I rolled up my trousers and and trousers my up rolled I where

ever, the trickling persisted and and persisted trickling the ever, mind, so without a word I crept out out crept I word a without so mind,

became more than a suspicion in my my in suspicion a than more became

least likely to have been hit. How- hit. been have to likely least • •

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

from from

I had a human wall wall human a had I

(b) (b)

181 High Street, Poole, Dorset Tel. 495 495 Tel. Dorset Poole, Street, High 181

119 Above Bar, Southampton Tel. 22687 22687 Tel. Southampton Bar, Above 119

I had behaved with a little less less little a with behaved had I

war damage, especially as owing to to owing as especially damage, war

my position at the back, I was the the was I back, the at position my couldn't be the only one looking for for looking one only the be couldn't

blast. Seconds later I began to feel feel to began I later Seconds blast.

as to what might be the cause. I I cause. the be might what to as wanted to look, but felt I just just I felt but look, to wanted

present because (a) I wasn't really really wasn't I (a) because present

a cold trickle down my leg and and leg my down trickle cold a concluded it must have been the the been have must it concluded

between me and the scene of the the of scene the and me between suspicion began to form in my mind mind my in form to began suspicion

operations. I must admit though, though, admit must I operations. that I felt a fairly sharp crack and and crack sharp fairly a felt I that

ing, and and ing,

close enough to see what was happen- was what see to enough close

`proper Charlie' feelings inside, the the inside, feelings Charlie' `proper

alacrity than most of the people people the of most than alacrity

however when, with weak laughs and and laughs weak with when, however

crowd regrouped for the inquest. inquest. the for regrouped crowd

6 - - 6

MASKS, FINS, ETC., ETC. ETC. ETC., FINS, MASKS,

Value RIGHT through a huge selection selection huge a through RIGHT Value

2

Stock 1st of ALL the leading manufacturers manufacturers leading the ALL of 1st Stock

- -

LUNGS, WET & DRY SUITS, GUNS GUNS SUITS, DRY & WET LUNGS,

YOU'LL ENJOY YOUR GREAT NEW WORLD with with WORLD NEW GREAT YOUR ENJOY YOU'LL

' was pro- was '

,

Moor Street, Birmingham 4 Tel. Mid. 2474 5 5 2474 Mid. Tel. 4 Birmingham Street, Moor

ERWATER EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT ERWATER

UN UN

52 London Road, North End, Portsmouth Tel. 60051 60051 Tel. Portsmouth End, North Road, London 52

34 Commercial Road, Bournemouth Tel. 22742 22742 Tel. Bournemouth Road, Commercial 34

Instead of the bolt entering the plate, plate, the entering bolt the of Instead

buffaloes, each animal seeking its its seeking animal each buffaloes, climax arrived in a matter of seconds seconds of matter a in arrived climax

became more like a stampede of of stampede a like more became

brief moment the dignified crowd crowd dignified the moment brief anti- The shelter. blast-proof own

tough steel and pieces of shrapnel shrapnel of pieces and steel tough

the fittest asserted itself and for a a for and itself asserted fittest the

The human instinct of survival of of survival of instinct human The

plate of `D' quality steel quality `D' of plate flew in all directions at high velocity. velocity. high at directions all in flew

plate?' I don't know what the verbal verbal the what know don't I plate?'

duced and the gun brought back back brought gun the and duced the against disintegrated merely it

into action. The effect was shattering. shattering. was effect The action. into

gainst various thicknesses of plating plating of thicknesses various gainst

answer to this question was but a a but was question this to answer

does the gun perform on armoured armoured on perform gun the does

very convincing demonstration a- demonstration convincing very some wag piped up and said 'How 'How said and up piped wag some toes from the back. Having had a a had Having back. the from toes www.mcdoa.org.uk two an a half hour lecture in Queens In September, Bungy Edwards The 'Boss' has been provisionally P.S.—Old Steamers from Guzz University ! (without mortar board). went to 'Pompey' to do the 'free accepted for a C.D. course com- may remember Lt. Donnelly — who Apart from the routine jobs of swimmer course', and came back with mencing April 1961. we think was the last Gunner (G) in clearing the mud away from the much of the latest 'gen'. Net result It has now been undertaken to charge of the Diving School (1946). slipway, the usual foul screws, bashed to date — new phones — repair qualify all members of the team as He is the Gunnery Officer (Reserve in Asdic Domes and numerous Sub- outfits — woollens ordered — all due Ileamarroid Inspectors' as there are Fleet) here and wishes to be remem- marine examinations, we have also to the assistance of Deepwater staff. about 8,000 Piles in the Port area to bered to all Dip Chicks. had a few jobs out of the usual run. In October we put on a Static be examined . . . Lucky Heamaroidis. During Whit weekend we had to Diving display at the R.N.R. Cen- search for the body of a boy who was tenary Exhibition at Belfast which drowned in a lake on the border gave us much publicity and also Divers' Day near the town of Clones in the Irish resulted in the 'Boss' going down HREE Admiralty divers from The divers' work enabled the ship Republic. As most of the team was with a breathing tube which had the Gareloch - based H.M.S. to be raised and refloated. In on Long Weekend — in England — nearly been severed in two. Moral TAdamant found themselves rubb- recognition of this the divers were it involved dragging the Chief out of — don't let kids touch the diving ing shoulders with lords and ladies promised a day out to the first his nest, and borrowing the divers knives ! and treated as V.I.P. guests at the Greenock launch after this accident. from H.M. Ships Whitby and East- Last month due to the Chief being Cartsdyke yard of the Greenock The occasion came yesterday when bourne. sober, he read the local Rag, which Dockyard Company. Lady. Rotherwick launched the As usual, the authorities had spent resulted in us recovering a bike, on The men, Chief Petty Officer Rotherwick Castle, and the divers hours dragging, with the usual gear, which a local messenger boy had Peter Roberts, A.B. John Langley were members of the official plat- before they sent for us, so everywhere done a 0/20 ! Again yet more and Leading Seaman Roy Reece, form party. was nicely ploughed up, and we had publicity. were the team who patched up a hole an area roughly the size of Horsea Our latest effort was a contract job Reprinted by kind permission of in the side of the cargo vessel Clan The Bulletin of August 20th 1959. Lake to search. We used up all avail- with Du Pont Co. who are construct- McIver when it sank while under able 02 before the search was com- Photograph by kind permission of James ing a Synthetic Rubber factory, near construction in the James Watt Hall (Photographers) Ltd. and The British pleted at dusk, but with no luck, and Derry—we had to secure, by bolting, Dock at Greenock last year. and Commonwealth Shipping Co. Ltd. the body surfaced after the usual the underwater section of a 42" pipe interval. and its supporting girders. This job The fire brigade (Republic) were would have been simple had the very good and supplied us with bever- designer taken into account that ages (brewed in Dundalk). We were piles are rarely driven straight ! sorry that we weren't able to satisfy We have obtained a compressor the spectators ! for the tank, where we train our more A modification to the slipway recent members in the art of using required old pile stumps to be sawn Underwater Cutters' Burning Gear. off using a 'windy saw' to enable the The Stoker is happy now, being widened cradle to run to its full atmosphere bosun without having extent to take the local S.D. Squad- to man the pump. ron. Incidently, we tried to obtain During the balmy summer days Seafire Equipment, but without suc- we had a few trips to the entrance of cess, as, owing to it only being used Lough Foyle and had a combined in diving schools, etc. it is not yet banyan party and swimming practice available for general issue—hence the (with visibility) on one occasion need for training in gear available ! with the Norwegian divers from the We are now waiting for the approval Narvik and gained experience using of a Pot, as at present there is no Pot their DRAGER aqualung type equip- available in Ireland. Here's hoping ment. These trips usually resulted in for happy 'Pot Dips' all qualified a fish supper. welcome. — 28 — — 29 — www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk Making Underwater Movies by H. H. HARSENT NDERWATER adventures, Let us examine the relative cost of when recorded in the form of a 8mm. and 16mm. filming. The film Umovie film, can provide an is available in magazine or roll invaluable record of the location loading to suit the camera being visited and the diving techniques used. Magazine loading is quick and employed. The cost of film stock for fool-proof, it has the advantage that a 15 minute movie is not great and one can change magazines at any could perhaps be shared among the time (from colour to black and white club members. for example) with no loss of film, but magazine film is a little more Choice of Film Guage. expensive. The two popular film sizes for the 8mm. film is usually 'double run', amateur movie-maker are 8mm. and i.e. it is supplied as a 25foot roll or 16 mm. (this dimension is the over- magazine of film 16mm. wide. This all width of the film) and the choice is run through the camera twice, will depend on the size of the aud- putting a row of pictures on each ience for which the film is intended. side. After processing the film, the 8mm. is the popular gauge for the film is split down the centre, the ends family movie-maker, giving low cost are spliced together, thus making 50 filming for an audience of up to 20 feet of 8mm. film for projection. or so. 16mm. is chosen when the film is intended for a larger audience, The table below gives a comparison it will give first class quality in black of costs and running times of 8mm. and white or colour, on a large and 16mm. film. screen, suitable for several hundred At first glance, four minutes people. Many 16mm. films have been screen time may seem very little, but `blown up' to the professional 35mm. let us divide it into separate shots or gauge for projection in the cinema. `takes' each lasting six seconds.

The new and revolutionary NORMALAIR Underwater Black Swimming Set, acclaimed by expert and novice alike, both for its & simplicity of operation and its many safety features, brings the Colour White exciting adventure of underwater exploration within the range of Mag. Roll Roll Screen* those of even the most moderate means. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. time By virtue of its low cost, the NORMALAIR Underwater Set 8 mm. 25ft. double run .. 1 11 10 1 5 6 1 1 6 4 mins. provides you with the key to a vast and fascinating submarine world, hitherto the exclusive province of the wealthy sportsman 100ft. double run .. — 4 8 4 — 16 mins. and professional explorer. 16 mm. 50ft. .. .. 2 12 0 2 2 8 — 2 mins. For full details write to 100 ft. . . .. — 3 12 10 2 16 0 4 mins. atiff 1. 71 Alt OF YEOVIL INDUSTRIAL DIVISION 27/31 MINSHULL STREET MANCHESTER I * At 16 frames per second, the standard 'silent' speed. —30— — 31 -- www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

(A longer shot, except when a great volt battery which will transport Housing Design. deed, when shooting with colour deal of action is taking place, be- several rolls of film. This drive Underwater housings are usually film, it is impossible to achieve comes boring). Thus a 25ft. roll of eliminates the watertight control cast in light alloy, with a lid, sealed correct colour balance at depths double run 8mm. for example will normally required to wind the spring by a rubber gasket, to allow the greater than approximately 35 feet. produce 40 shots of six minutes motor. A simple shallow water camera to be easily fitted. A window For filching in colour at greater duration, each of which, in colour, housing for the C.8 would need only of good quality glass or plastic, large depths underwater lighting is re- would cost approximately 7-id. a stout rubber diaphragm to allow enough to cover the acceptance angle quired and this is usually not avail- the release button on the camera to of the lens is required, and another able to amateur film units. Choice of Camera. be pressed. window, positioned to allow sight of All underwater housings should be A wide range of movie cameras is the footage indicator (showing the fitted with a standard tripod bush on Many cameras are designed to amount of unused film remaining) is the bottom so that it can be mounted available, both new and used, and, allow interchange of lenses and a wide having decided the film gauge, there essential. This footage indicator will on a weighted tripod with a well angle lens, if available, is a great probably be difficult to see in the sub- greased pan and tilt head. A much are are a few other points worth advantage, permitting a closer ap- noting. dued light underwater so a torch steadier picture will result and the proach to the subject and giving a bulb and small battery should be housing is easier to handle. Some 16mm. cameras will accept greater depth of sharp focus. Around installed inside the housing to illum- only a 50ft. roll of film which means, the shores of Great Britain the water inate the dial. To avoid the con- Script Before Shooting. after shooting two minutes of filn), is frequently 'cloudy' and it is most struction of a waterproof switch, a the camera operator must rise to the important to approach as close to the • Filming without a script is like mercury switch can be fitted inside diving without checking the bottles surface, dry off and open the water- subject as possible. the housing arranged to switch the tight housing, remove the camera, are filled — results doubtful ! A The reader who is mechanically- light on when the housing is turned script will save both time and film, change films, replace the camera, minded could consider the purchase to a non-operating position, i.e. pressurise the housing and then is easy to prepare and enables and conversion of a 16mm. 'gun upside down. shooting to go ahead smoothly. descend to his former position before camera' from one of the war surplus shooting can continue. A camera Watertight controls are required When writing a script first survey the stores. These cameras were fitted to allow the spring motor to be area where the film is to be made and accepting a 100ft. spool will enable into the wings of fighter aircraft and twice as many shots to be taken. wound (except in electrically driven then rough out the story the film is operated when the guns were fired. cameras), the release button to be to tell. From this, write a shooting Some older cameras have only one Two types are available one British running speed (16 frames per second, operated, the iris diaphragm to be script giving details of each shot to and one of American manufacture. set to suit the light available and, be made, illustrated by thumbnail the standard 'silent' speed) a variable The former uses a special cassette speed camera will allow underwater although not essential, a control for sketches if required. which must be loaded in the dark- focussing is useful. If controls for scenes to be shot at 24 frames per room, the latter accepts the standard `Underwater' films generally have second while the above water shots the iris diaphragm and focussing are about half the film footage shot above 16mm. Kodak magazine. The lens fitted, the housing should have a are taken at 16 frames per second, supplied with the camera should be water, and it is often convenient to thus, when the film is projected at window placed so the scales on the shoot all the above water footage removed and replaced by a wide lens can be seen. 16 frames per second, movement angle lens. These cameras are both first, crossing each shot off the script underwater appears slower and more A large camera housing will be as it is taken. electrically driven, either 12 or 24 easier to handle underwater if handles graceful and, if the 'actors' are skin volts, and the British made camera diving without breathing apparatus, are fitted to the sides of the case. All Continuity. contains a lens and body heater (to housings should be fitted with a valve they appear to stay longer beneath prevent icing) which should be dis- The shooting of a film may be the surface before finning slowly and so that air can be pumped in with a spread over several weekends and connected to reduce the current con- small bicycle pump, it can then be leisurely to the surface for air ! If sumption. The power supply can be one member of the film unit, possess- there's a character in the club with immersed and checked for leaks. ing an eagle eye, should be respon- provided by either dry batteries or Before taking the housing under water gills who claims he stays submerged accumulators. If a housing is made sible for continuity. He must watch for almost four minutes — film him replace the cap securely on the valve, for such film "faux pas as a lady diver for a set-up of this type it could be otherwise if the water pressure at eight frames per second and on based on the Rebikoff `Torpille' finning out of one shot in a bikini the screen he will appear to bob up exceeds the internal pressure, water and appearing in the next shot in a with the camera at the front and the will enter the case. and down like a cork. batteries occupying the remainder of one piece costume, or single bottle One 8mm. camera, the Eumig C.8, space. This streamlined design is Most amateur filming will be sets that suddenly change under- has an electric drive powered by a 4i easy to propel under water. carried out at shallow depths, in- water to twin sets, etc, — 32 — — 33 — www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

Photographic Technicalities. task of building the film can begin. Exposure underwater (the iris dia- Start with a length of black leader, Albert and the Diver phragm setting) will depend on the (used when threading the projector) clarity of the water, film speed splice on the first shot from the script, In the summer months many tourists, both English and American, visit (sensitivity), running speed (frames using a suitable film cement, and con- the Caspian Sea resorts — but be warned . . . per second) and the brightness of the tinue shot by shot to the end of the light. An underwater exposure meter script. There's a famous seaside place called Pahlavi, is of great assistance and various Titles and credits to precede the That's noted for fresh air and fun, meter housings are available. film can be filmed or Messrs. Kodak And Mr. and Mrs. Ramsbottom Went there with young Albert, their son. If colour film is being used, filters will make them in a few days, these make the film much more attractive A grand little lad was young Albert, of Kodak Wratten series CC.R All dressed in 'is best, quite a swell, should be used to correct the colour to the audience, and are spliced into the film during the editing. Wi' a stick wi' a 'orses-'ead-'andle, balance as far as possible. (See the The finest the Bazaar could sell. table in Triton, June—July issue). Music and Commentary. The underwater housing can be They didn't think much to the Caspian; fitted with a holder to position the If a film is being made for a large The waves they was fiddlin' and small: CC.R. filter in front of the lens, audience, music and sound com- No wrecks, and nobody drownded — allowing quick exchange of filter. mentary can be added by various Fact, nothin' to laff at, at all. methods. A tape recorder can be So seeking for further amusement, An interesting underwater shot, synchronised with the projector, the They went into the Diving School, very effective on the screen, is to film can have a magnetic stripe Where there was thousands and thousands of divers, show a diver rising to the surface and added after editing and the sound And vodka and caviare too. to follow with the camera. First the added as the film is run through diver breaks surface and then the a magnetic stripe projector, or, There they saw one great big diver; camera follows showing on the screen if sufficient financial resources are 'is body was all black and blue, the transition from a water world to available, a copy of the film can And 'e lay in somnolent posture, the familiar scene above the surface. be made with an optical sound track. As many good divers will do. This shot must be made in two parts Music of a suitable type adds Now Albert 'ad 'eard about divers, to allow the correct exposure for tremendously to the presentation (it 'ow they was ferocious and wild, each medium. also hides the projector noise!) and And to see one lying so peaceful — liFirst shoot the rise to the surface records, long players for preference, Well it didn't seem right to the child. and stop the camera when it breaks are available to most people. surface, then adjust the iris dia- So straightway the brave little fellow, phragm to the correct setting for the If a movie camera and the technical Not showing a morsel of fear, above water lighting and start the `know how' are not among your Took 'is stick wi"orses-'ead-'andle, second shot with the camera just club's resources, remember that in all And poked it right in diver's ear. below the surface, raise the camera parts of the country are cine clubs, You could see that the diver didn't like it, above the water and complete the who make a number of films each For, giving a kind of a roll, shot. When the film is returned from year, and are always looking for new 'e up, and 'e grabbed 'old of Albert, processing, cut each shot at the point subjects. Why not contact the local And swallowed the little lad 'ole. where the camera broke surface and Hon. Secretary and arrange a joint splice the two shots together. `get together'. You can tell them Now Pa, 'oo 'ad seen the occurence, about the joys of diving (and perhaps And didn't know what to do next, Editing. make some new members) and they Said 'Ma, yon diver's ate Albert !', will be able to give you technical And Ma said `Ee, I am vexed'. When the film is returned from assistance on filming. The 'ead diver 'ad to be sent for; processing it should be cut ruthlessly 'e came, and 'e said 'What's to do ?' into the separate shots. These are put A film record of your club's Said Ma, 'Yon diver's ate Albert, into numbered boxes and the num- activities will be treasured in the And I'm in 'is Sunday clothes too'. bers entered on the script. Then the future. Why not start NOW ? — 34 — — 35 — www.mcdoa.org.uk She

Reclaim.

HANLEY STOLLOWAY

opinion held by many people, this is of vital concern to the self-contained diver, although for safety's sake in

the experimental stages the standard

diver is more suitable. Hence the preliminary stages in open water are

best done in H.M.S. has on hand a series of dives to

routines for repetitive diving (com- establish the safety — or risk — of From that, it is hoped to evolve safe diving on Table H and to compare bined or multiple diving if you prefer

of surface decompression and with those terms) with or without the use

the British and American tables

or without the use of oxygen. An

Pearl Fishing Bed Survey where four example of the sort of diving that could result is found in the Australian

to five dives per day to depths of

140 feet for 25 minutes are carried

—37—

SURG. LT.-CDR. McKAY

by

Contrary to the

NEWS FROM R.N.P.L.

But mother 'ad turned a bit awkward,

When she thought where 'er Albert 'ad gone;

She said 'No, someone's got to be punished', So that was decided upon.

As they knew that no divers were tame, If they wanted to go in the School,

The Admiral gave 'is opinion:

Then they'd only got themselves to blame.

Said Pa 'What do you usually pay ?'

The 'ead diver wanted no trouble,

'e took out 'is fags right away, Saying "ow many to settle the matter ?' So off they went to the Barracks, In front of the Admiral chap; And proved it by showing 'is cap. `And thank you, Sir kindly,' said she, `What, come all this way to Iran,

At that Mother got proper mad, They told 'im what 'appened to Albert, Just to feed ruddy divers — not we !'

RAINWASHING is a form of

use of violence, so that the

establishing a reflex, without the

The main task is how to achieve

victim believes what the instigator B wants him to believe. This has been

applied to me in such a way that I of the Diving fraternity without

cannot see or hear certain members

getting a very guilty conscience

about producing an article for the paper and I will try to explain what magazine. To try and rid myself of this mental load I am putting pen to

we have been doing in the last year tirely my own thoughts and com- one else). in this laboratory. (These are en- ments and in no way binding on any-

the maximum time in the water for the diver with the minimum time in

decompression.

. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

WELL PACKED

n

more people enjoy them.

the talking in the world won't convince

An

AT ITS BEST

Senior Service have grown in popularity is that

It's a matter of personal enjoyment. And the reason why

a cigarette smoker that one brand is better than another.

WELL MADE

VIRGINIA TOBACCO www.mcdoa.org.uk out by each diver day after day carried on his back while he steps up arguing on the frequency of X-rays physical work. When that happens, although in our present state of and down from a platform for five and radiation to suggestions for a there's a pile of paperwork to plough knowledge the decompression is minutes) are much fitter than the Diver's Log, from working with the through. However there are hopes hopelessly inadequate. (They run average National Serviceman — teams on a trip to Siebe-Gormans to of a brighter future — a change of into surprisingly little trouble). irrespective of his smoking or drink- visiting Cardiff — or in Surg.-Cdr. address to Vernon II, leaving our ing habits. The saving in money, Apart from the actual testing of Miles' case Australia, and from wooden sheds behind and perhaps a man-hours, frustration and so on if tables, this means work must go on divers jumping from helicopters to `wet pot' of our very own. Who we could devise a selection test for underwater farmers. knows, we might even have a keen into finding out how the excess gases divers would be very great. are given off by the body, how de- Life at the laboratory is not diving team with us semi-perman- compression sickness occurs and A logical follow-up of this is routine but very interesting. Our ently so that our trials can go on many more problems — the old, old, naturally the investigation of any whole problem is the one common continuously. Our aim will remain trouble, the more you discover the unusual incident involving a diver. to all research set-ups — not enough how can we help a diver to go under more problems arise to be solved. In the ideal set up, any diver who has money, not enough time, and not water as often as he likes, for as long trouble would be seen by someone as he likes, as deep as he likes as Another aspect of our work con- enough 'guinea pigs' with a con- experienced in underwater medicine sequent slowing down of actual safely as possible. cerns submarine escape where the and preferably at R.N.P.L. so that problem of air embolism is the most an attempt could be made to find obvious but oxygen poisoning, nitro- the true cause of the trouble instead gen narcosis, and bends must also be of the present system which leaves The Kharg Island Project borne in mind. We have carried out a so many incidents unexplained. We simple observation of timing trainees doctors have just had a forcible re- by LT. BURSTALL to find their speed of ascent with an minder that diving accidents can be inflated life jacket and find that the HOUGH it has little to do with description. An air field has been due to troubles which can be found diving, this project is of con- constructed, together with houses, a variation is far greater than we antici- on the surface, e.g. pneumonia and pated (the few divers included are Tsiderable general interest, and as hospital, canteen, club, power station, amongst the slowest rates of ascent, coronary thrombosis, which are con- we visited Kharg last November it etc., and last but not least a golf siderably aggravated by diving with- contrary to all expectations). Follow- has provided a good opportunity of course. out being caused by diving and we ing Dr. D. C. Wright's work (the giving a first hand account of what is wonder how many minor accidents involved. The work is shared between six underwater blast expert), I have tried companies, two British, two Dutch a type of corset (W.R.N.S. roll-ons in the past have been labelled 'a touch of CO2' or 'anoxia' when the Kharg Island is situated in the and two American; but of the tasks were not tight enough) made in this real trouble has been ill-health. At North East corner of the Persian undertaken, quite the most interesting laboratory which has some promise any rate we would rather have too Gulf, 22 miles from the coast. It is and most formidable is the 'pulling' in cutting down the accident rate many reports or people to investigate five an a half miles long by two miles, of the underwater pipe from Kharg during training. (This rate by the than too few. rising to 200 feet, and surrounded by to the mainland by the American way, is one accident in 2,000 ascents a coral reef out to 200 yards, but firm INMARCO. This is the final or about five per year — none fatal Turning from the research side, beyond that the water falls away link in the 100 mile long pipe from so far). we also do some training here. In steeply to 60 feet. Because of this, the Gachsaran oil fields to the tank Yet another research side is the the past year we have had visitors large ships are able to take shelter farm on top of Kharg. This pipe, problem of finding out what makes a from countries such as Venezuela close inshore, and so in 1957 the 25 miles long, 36 inch in diameter and diver and consequently what factors and Kuwait as well as our own Iranian Oil Operating Companies weighing nearly 450 lbs. per foot is does the ideal diving gear have to medical officers for training in decided to turn Kharg into a deep literally pulled by brute force across take into account. We have now medical problems underwater. Lect- water crude oil loading terminal. the ocean bed. The difficulties en- checked about 400 divers, would-be ures are also given to divers and sub- From being a desert island with countered can be imagined with divers, and men who have come off- mariners as required. Recently I some 500 villagers and a few goats, depths of 160 feet involved. How- course. Every time we think we addressed the Sub-Aqua clubs at in two years it has become a scene of ever this particular task was finally have found something of value, a Brighton on mixture-breathing and modern industrialisation. involving. completed on December 19th after group of divers will show an opposite I only hope they enjoyed it as much over 3,000 people. Whichever way a three month struggle. To achieve effect. So far the only constant as I did. you look now there are enormous this, the necessary gear including all factor is that divers, as tested by our Then there are always the mis- stores, dumps, cranes, bulldozers and the pipe, was first laid out on Khargu, pack test (one third of his weight cellaneous jobs — anything from civil engineering projects of every a small spit of sand three miles north - 38 - - 39 - www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk of Kharg. This pipe is rolled steel per foot, it floated. This happened loading jetty. Initially this will be a calls for special measures. Food is half an inch thick, and diameter 30 because the concrete did not absorb four-berth jetty, but designed to take not brought in by sea — it is all inches. This was all supplied in 24 foot the water as quickly as was calculated an extension for a further four flown in fresh from Shiraz in Dakotas lengths, was then welded into approxi- To investigate this the senior engineer berths later if required. 100,000 ton — five tons of it, four times a week. mately mile long lengths, and then and two assistants walked out along tankers will have a turn-round It is estimated that it costs approxi- covered with fibre glass and two an the floating pipe, and of course the period of 24 hours, oil being gravity mately £3 per day to feed each man. a half inch concrete. The resultant pipe immediately began to sink. fed at the rate of 7,000 tons per hour 25 sections were then laid alongside They were rescued three quarters of from the tank farm on the top of the Accommodation is not so difficult. each other on a ramp waiting to be an hour later, but were so exhausted hill. This farm initially consists of Kharg enjoys a temperate climate, rolled into position. While this work they had to be flown home for 12 tanks, each with a capacity of and though it gets hot in summer, it was progressing, two large wires were medical treatment. To make it sink approximately 60,000 tons of fuel, does not get cold in winter, so that run from Kharg to Ganaveh, the quicker, concrete saddles were hastily with a site for a further 60 tanks, if the living in a tent is tolerably com- shore end of the line. These were slung across the pipe, but the strong project proves a success. Built by a fortable., Because of its small size provided to secure and guide the currents twisted the pipe sideways Dutch firm, one of the aspects of and other similar conditions, life in pulling barge. When all was ready and the saddles were knocked off by these tanks is an enormous iron plate Kharg is in fact not unlike that on the pulling barge stood a mile off the coral. When at last the stretch floating inside, which by sheer weight board a ship. shore firmly moored with eight between Kharg and Khargu was will drive the oil down to the jetty. When the project is finished, which anchors as well as the guide wires. across, it had a large kink in it and Thus, it will be appreciated, that in is expected to be some time in the had to be recovered and laid a second the whole of this line, from its source Another wire was rove from the early autumn, it will cost nearly time. at Gachsaran to its point of discharge £40,000,000 — and all the thousands outboard end of the first section of not one single pump is employed. pipe to a winch on the pulling barge. Most of these problems arose in of tons of equipment used will have At the order 'start the pull' from the the Kharg-Khargu pull, only a three Construction along these mam- been loaded from barges over a control tower on Khargu, the pulling mile one, but the experience gained moth lines always carries accompany- temporary jetty with little more than barge heaves in and the pipe runs saved further difficulties in the longer ing problems. Feeding 3,000 men on 100 feet of sea room, and a maximum out, being steadied at its after or pull. In this, the 'big pull', they were a small island for two years or more depth of less than 20 feet. inboard end by a 'holdback winch' hampered instead by the weather and with a tension of 20,000 lbs. When the increased weight of the pipe. this section has been nearly all pulled, Once the outlook was very gloomy By-Pass Cracks it is checked and a further section is when the pipe was remaining obstin- NITROGEN NARKS. ABSOLUTE DEPTH. then rolled into place behind it. This is ately stationary with a tension of Spivs who pinch bubbles out of The bottoms. welded on, coated with fibreglass and 800,000 lbs. applied. It had settled tonic water. concrete and X-rayed. Meanwhile in the mud and coral after a long SUIT INFLATION. the pulling barge weighs anchor, delay. The pipe would take a tension DOUBLE DIVE. Latest body building process. winches itself along the guide wires of 2,000,000 lbs., but the winch had A place that's twice as bad as the JACKSTAY. to its next position a further mile only another 200,000 lbs. pull in last joint you were in. Ladies request. towards the land and re-anchors. reserve. However all was well in the CRACKED BY-PASS. COUNTER LUNG. When all is ready it heaves in again, end and the pipe is now lying happily M.I. Disaster. Chinese mathematical genius. but this time pulling two instead of on the bottom between Kharg and one mile of pipe. In this way the Ganaveh. When the oil is pouring whole pipe was laid, the final pull through it from Gashsaran (elevation being, of course, 25 miles long. 2,215 feet), this pipe will be delivering Command Bomb and Mine 350,000 barrels per day, at which Disposal Unit— Mines It would have been very convenient rate the pressure in it will be in the if it had all gone as smoothly as this, order of some 500 lbs. per square rrHE- last time I wrote an article B. and M.D. duties, and other odd but of course many snags were en- inch. (Just as a matter of passing I for the DIVING MAGAZINE I was jobs from time to time. One of the countered. To begin with, for the interest, the 25 miles of this pipe cost stationed in God's own country most interesting jobs we have had in first 24 hours the pipe did not move £7 per foot). (Scotland). However since then I the B. and M.D. unit lately was in at all, and when it finally did move, have returned to my Alma Mater, Alderney where we arrived on the instead of sinking owing to its Another American firm, Ray- H.M.S. Vernon where I have been 2nd January. Alderney is of course supposed negative buoyancy of 5 lbs. mond Costain, is responsible for the engaged in book correcting and well known to many of the diving — 40 — 41 — www.mcdoa.org.uk

MAC.

An interesting report was recently

in Scotland of finding a Mine

received from the B. and M.D. unit `Mines, Minelayers and Minelaying' which was in very good condition is ashore at Aberdeen. This mine April 1918. The electro-contact net which is recommended to be read by of World War I origin washed mine and the date on the primer was mine which contained 65 lb. T.N.T. 1915. A short description of it is given in Captain Cowie's book on thought to be an anti-U-boat net charge and had its battery housed ashore was first used off Belgium in

all those interested in mines.

— 43 —

Un-

Found at Corbetts Bay, Alderney.

(see picture).

German 10.5" shell rigged as anti-invasion obstacle.

road, and as they weighed about used by the Germans as anti- most of them up the beach on to the with what we thought was the last one of the islanders that he had in disposing of the eleven 10.5 shells invasion defences As we were struggling up the beach fortunately we had to manhandle 600 lbs. each it was quite a struggle. one, there was a joyous shout from fraternity, and we were made very found another. It was the first time welcome during our stay. We had a come from the Maginot line were great deal of help from the islanders Shells which are believed to have (young 'Jazz') speechless.

1 had ever seen a gunnery man

-Which had been found there. These www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

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Cox of Scapa but the war brought them to an His mind already half made up, he abrupt halt. sought his wife's advice. She told The Man Who Bought a Navy For four years thereafter Cox was him 'not to be a fool' and at first he turning out munitions. Then, with was inclined to agree; 'after all', he T was a Saturday afternoon in Heeling over like drunken giants, the Armistice, he was able to break recalled later, 'I had never lifted a plunging headlong beneath the waves June 1919. the bonds of restraint. Cox & Danks ship in my life, so the idea was some- I their sterns lifting as if in suppli- The war which was to have secured contracts for the disposal of what ambitious.' ended all wars was seven months over cation to the heavens, the Kaiser's huge supplies of surplus war equip- ships were going down. But he couldn't let the idea alone. and an exhausted, embittered world ment and the road to fortune seemed He went to the Admiralty. They, was entering on its long years of Soon the sea was littered with open. too, were sceptical, but suggested convalescence. hammocks, lifebelts, deck gear . . that he might go to Scapa to have a and escaping German sailors jubilant By 1920 Cox had moved south, to In the far north of Scotland, on the an office in fashionable Regent Street, look at the ships. Orkney island of Hoy, the children that, in the hour of their darkest defeat, they had snatched final flanked by exclusive dress shops and He did. 'The sight,' he said, 'was were at play, their shrill cries echoing elegant silversmiths. one of the most fascinating I have over the sunlit waters of Scapa Flow. victory, scuttling their vessels to keep them out of the Allies' hands. Scrap depots were now started in ever seen and could not fail to stim- ulate the imagination of any man who There, in that vast natural harbour, Such was the end of the German Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, lay Germany's defeated navy — and elsewhere. It was Cox's ambition was fond of engineering problems. fleet and the beginning of the life As one travelled around, the sunken battleships, cruisers, destroyers, tor- work of Ernest Cox. to have a chain of branches through- pedo boats — a fleet of 72 ships out the country, 'just,' as he said, warships could be seen, some of them ignominiously surrendered at the His first job — as an errand boy. `like Woolworths'. projecting out of the water and others •Armistice and now immobolised, Ernest Frank Guelph Cox was just beneath the surface so that only waiting for the Allies to determine born in Wolverhampton in 1884. His imagination was set alight. the tops of the masts were visible'. their fate. He left school at the age of twelve to In 1921 he opened a yard at It was a challenge Cox could not The children's game grew noisier become an errand boy with a firm of Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey resist: "After thinking the matter and one lad, breathless from so much drapers. in Kent. From the Admiralty he over carefully, I decided to undertake scampering, flung himself to the Later, he served his time as an bought two old battleships, the the work of salvaging the fleet and ground. Shading his eyes, he gazed electrical engineer and for two years Orion and the Erin — they cost him returned to the Admiralty with that out to sea, as he had done so often was a jointer in the corporation's £25,000 each — and he was in the proposal". before, dreaming fanciful dreams of electricity department. ship-breaking business. `They agreed as a start to sell me those now familiar grey warships. From the Midlands he went to This new venture prospered and in 26 destroyers and two battleships'. The time was a quarter to three. Scotland to become borough elec- 1924 Cox bought a floating dock, The price Cox paid was described trical engineer of Cambuslang, near designed for testing submarines, as 'laughable', so doubtful were the Suddenly, the lad sat up, 'Look ! Glasgow. It was there, that he met which had been towed from Kiel as Admiralty that he would ever be able look !' he cried, 'one of the ships is and married Jenny Miller, daughter part of reparations levied on the to raise the vessels. sinking'. of a Glasgow forge master. Germans. But the newspapers were electrified The children's game was abruptly Cox was taken into the business This dock was a huge structure, at what one of them picturesquely stilled and for a few moments there and before long he was in control. over 400 feet long, and Cox had just headlined as 'The Awakening of the was only the screech of gulls to break begun to dismantle it when it was Sleeping Monsters'. the silence. But he was already showing signs of the restless energy, the impatience suggested to him that this might be The floating dock is towed to Scapa. Then: 'There's another sinking . . . the ideal instrument for attempting to with routine, the forward vision and Cox's first task was to modify his and another'. the superb contempt for risks which salvage the German ships slowly rotting at Scapa. floating dock to her new task. He The boys scattered for their homes were to be the mark of his character fitted her with a score of hand to raise the alarm. all through his life. Cox's imagination was set alight. winches and two electric cranes, and Within minutes a motley fleet of In 1913, with a shadowy partner This was the gamble he was waiting he installed on her engineers', joiners' rescue boats had put to sea. The named Danks, of whom little is for, a gamble that might ruin him, but and blacksmiths' workshops, gener- sight that met them was monstrous now recalled, he formed Cox & a gamble for stakes which might ating plant for electricity, compressed in its fantasy. Danks. His plans were ambitious- reach as much as half a million air equipment and storerooms and pounds. offices. -44 — — 45 — www.mcdoa.org.uk

was was

S.53, S.53,

with a fortune at stake. stake. at fortune a with

in six days. days. six in

It had taken six weeks to raise this this raise to weeks six taken had It

"Some of the ships," Cox wrote wrote Cox ships," the of "Some

But this time the ropes held, and, and, held, ropes the time this But When she was well clear of the the of clear well was she When

Cox was everywhere, spurring on on spurring everywhere, was Cox

The next ten days were tense. The The tense. were days ten next The

Grim faced, he set off for London, London, for off set he faced, Grim

Cox was learning the hard way ...... way hard the learning was Cox

"The bombardment of links had had links of bombardment "The

two days to turn a boat over before before over boat a turn to days two

we began to lift her. her. lift to began we

six feet from the bottom. It took us us took It bottom. the from feet six

the vessels rested on the bridge and and bridge the on rested vessels the

forward gun with most of the hull hull the of most with gun forward

easy to pass ropes underneath since since underneath ropes pass to easy

later, 'were upside down; it was very very was it down; upside 'were later,

lifted in eleven days, the third the the third the days, eleven in lifted

first ship. The second, the the second, The ship. first

bottom, tugs took over and towed towed and over took tugs bottom,

his men, watching anxiously for any any for anxiously watching men, his S.55, S.55,

had lain for more than five years. years. five than more for lain had

she was beached. beached. was she

weakness in the ropes. He had had He ropes. the in weakness

her to a sandy inlet on Hoy. There There Hoy. on inlet sandy a to her be lost ? ? lost be

her and the docks which supported supported which docks the and her

emerged from the sea-bed where she she where sea-bed the from emerged

inch by agonising inch, the V.70 V.70 the inch, agonising by inch already spent £40,000. Was it all to to all it Was £40,000. spent already

August 1st 1924, the lift began again. again. began lift the 1924, 1st August

rapidly dwindling capital on nine- on capital dwindling rapidly

iron chains and on the morning of of morning the on and chains iron

wire ropes were substituted for the the for substituted were ropes wire

inch wire ropes. ropes. wire inch

there to spend what remained of his his of remained what spend to there

A tense ten days — — days ten tense A

one was touched." touched." was one

It seemed impossible that many many that impossible seemed It

to attend to the injured. Those Those injured. the to attend to

clustered along the edges of the dock. dock. the of edges the along clustered

present expected the place to be a a be to place the expected present

shambles. Over a hundred men were were men hundred a Over shambles.

would escape. Yet by a miracle not not miracle a by Yet escape. would

hardly ceased when Cox was leaping leaping was Cox when ceased hardly

quietly down again. again. down quietly

peeping above the surface, sank sank surface, the above peeping

- 47 - - 47 -

V.70, V.70,

which was was which

lying in ten ten in lying

V.70, V.70,

V.70, V.70,

if, he argued, these were were these argued, he if,

Without warning, there was an an was there warning, Without

David Masters, who has written written has who Masters, David

hunks of flying metal. metal. flying of hunks

links snapped. The strain on the the on strain The snapped. links So the two halves of the dock were were dock the of halves two the So

next link snapped that, too, and in a a in and too, that, snapped link next

"Men shouted, threw themselves themselves threw shouted, "Men

few moments the air was filled with with filled was air the moments few

ear-slitting crack as one of the great great the of one as crack ear-slitting

Cox had brought from Queen- from brought had Cox

The first ship he tackled — and she she and — tackled he ship first The

His plan was to moor the halves on on halves the moor to was plan His

Arriving at Scapa — the journey journey the — Scapa at Arriving

Thus transformed, the dock was was dock the transformed, Thus

gunfire and the the and gunfire

rushed to the workshops for safety. safety. for workshops the to rushed

The flying metal made reports like like reports made metal flying The

face down where they stood; others others stood; they where down face

scene that followed ; ; followed that scene

by four men, began to lift. lift. to began men, four by

Orion: Orion: extensively on salvage, described the the described salvage, on extensively

wrought iron chain underneath the the underneath chain iron wrought

divers passed ten lengths of the the of lengths ten passed divers

vessel and the winches, each manned manned each winches, the and vessel

borough the old anchor chains of the the of chains anchor old the borough

anchored in position above the the above position in anchored

strong enough to hold a battleship, battleship, a hold to enough strong

a destroyer. destroyer. a

then they were strong enough to lift lift to enough strong were they then

destroyer, the the destroyer,

was almost the last — was a 700-ton 700-ton a was — last the almost was

fathoms. fathoms.

hand. hand.

either side of a sunken ship, to pass pass to ship, sunken a of side either

took eight days — Cox cut his dock dock his cut Cox — days eight took

lift of nine feet — to winch her up by by up her winch to — feet nine of lift

cradle and — with the help of the tide tide the of help the with — and cradle

chains beneath the vessel to form a a form to vessel the beneath chains

north. north.

of the men who, for the next ten years years ten next the for who, men the of in two, with ten winches and one one and winches ten with two, in crane on each of her halves. halves. her of each on crane

tracks, and even furniture for some some for furniture even and tracks,

were to make their homes in the far far the in homes their make to were

towed the 700 miles to Scapa; in in Scapa; to miles 700 the towed

addition to her new workshops, she she workshops, new her to addition carried railway wagons, sleepers and and sleepers wagons, railway carried

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her mast and funnels stood well clear and the Seydlitz, in the meantime — "Several of the destroyers had "And in a day or two an abom- of the water. Cox turned once again to the been fastened three to a buoy and in inable stench arose as the seaweed All through the summer of 1926 Hindenburg. some cases, therefore, we found and shellfish decayed under the fourteen divers were busy fixing three sunk together, resting on top hot sun . . . The challenge she presented had patches on the vessel, sealing every nagged continuously at his mind and of each other. Here again it proved "Plates and glasses and cups opening in her hull so that the water quite easy to pass ropes underneath now, with more experience, he be- were scattered in the cabins of the could be pumped out. lieved he saw the way to victory. the destroyers and to lift them up, wrecks; photographs and odd- sometimes tearing off parts of the ments were lying tumbled in all No fewer than 800 patches had to The problem was still that of con- upper structures in the process. sorts of corners; mattresses had be made. They were put on with trolling the alarming list which had oakum and tallow and at first they "Finally, we became so expert in rotted away, spilling horsehair all defeated him earlier. over the place . . ." vanished almost as quickly as they dealing with these craft that the last were fixed : eaten away by shoals of To curb it, Cox hit on two devices. destroyer was raised in four days'. Living conditions in the early days tiny fish. Cox mixed cement with his First, he installed pumps all over Salvage had to be halted during of the Scapa operations were arduous. tallow — 'that ought to give them Cox housed his men in a disused the ship and had them connected to a the winter and these months were indigestion', he said — and the master control room. From there he utilised in breaking up the more naval camp which he had fitted up marauders turned away. with separate messes for the divers, was able to detect any weaknesses badly damaged vessels and shipping By mid-August the 40 pumps were and swiftly bring additional pumps the steel to the Scottish furnaces. engineers, labourers and clerical staff. The executives lived in bungalows; in action and the great vessel began into action. Those of the destroyers which were to stir in her bed. still seaworthy were patched up and Cox put up on a farm. Secondly, he placed a huge con- There were no shops on Hoy at `But as the ship rose', Cox wrote crete block on the starboard side of towed south to the Firth of Forth afterwards, 'she began to take on a where they were broken up by the that time. Trading was by barter. the vessel in an attempt to steady her dangerous list and to become un- as she rose. Alloa Shipbreaking Company, the A tiny schooner travelled around the controllable'. organisation from which Metal In- islands exchanging tea, sugar and "I cut a German destroyer in two dustries sprang. other commodties for eggs, mutton Every expedient was tried to to provide a container for the con- righten her but all were in vain. . Thus began the link between Cox and, wool. crete', Cox wrote, "and selected & Danks and M.I., a link which This was not good enough for Cox : `We found it possible', Cox said, the engine room for this purpose was finally sealed when C. & D. he persuaded the schooner owner to `to raise either the stern or the bows, since it was strongly built. This joined the Group in 1949. give up his 'round' and to establish and, indeed, we did both until we empty engine room was carried out a store on Hoy. were tired of seeing them. For and sunk beneath the Hindenburg. In his book, 'Wonders of Salvage, Later, a dance hall was built and always the ship tilted over to an "Its dimensions were 30 feet David Masters, who spent some time angle of about 35 degrees. at Scapa, gives a vivid description of on party nights a drifter would be wide by 40 feet long and 600 tons the destroyers as they came to the sent to the mainland to pick up the "Moreover, to add to our troubles, of concrete were required to fill it. surface: village girls as partners for the the coal strike occurred at that time. salvage men. Romance blossomed . The price of our fuel rose from £1 to "The total cost of this was "The searchlights and masts and £4 15s. a ton. I was paying £1,000 a £2,000 and I was therefore very The 'Hindenburg' and her 800 patches upper works were bent and twisted week in wages and £1,000 a week in reluctant to place such blocks on into every imaginable shape. Long Now that he had successfully fuel and could see no sign of success. both sides of the stern, hoping that ribbons of seaweed festooned the lifted the destroyers — 'I'm sorry support on one side would be guns and a shorter growth grew there were no more of them,' he said ; "We had been working on the boat sufficient to give stability to the like grass all over decks and hull. `they were just beginning to pay for five or six months day and night ship. and were completely exhausted. It "Dozens of baby oysters grew nicely' — Cox raised his sights . . . was with a heavy heart that I decided "We began pumping and the inside some of the larrips, and to the 27,500-ton battle cruiser Hindenburg rose 17 feet out of the Hindenburg. 'In raising this ship,'Lhe to give up the attempt, at any rate for spiny sea urchins, some with black the time being." water without tilting and we were markings, some with red, were declared, 'I spent £75,000 and only congratulating ourselves on our lying about all over the place. just succeeded in recovering my `For the time being . . success. "Directly the wreck came into money'. Four year later he tried again. "Suddenly, however, she tilted view the marine growths were Yet the Hindenburg appeared to Four years later — he had raised over the other way. I had half beautiful, but after a short time in present an easy task: she had settled two other battle cruisers, the Moltke expected this, but at any rate I was the open air they began to droop. on her keel in about ten fathoms and — 49 — — 48 — www.mcdoa.org.uk Diving Unit

His favourite saying, which lives

George Robbie after a short dive

After leave we carried out a series

In a burst of anger, he would fire a

But his outward ferocity concealed

He lectured all over the country on The 'something' that Ernest Cox

He would visit his men when they

under trials as several snags were

undertook was the greatest salvage

the consternation of the civilians, but We worked for a full 13 days and left very tired, but jubilant as we were out very soon. them to us for stowage in cool dark

ragged children he met casually on compass, so far these items are still has decided that it is now too warm

very much in favour by the divers. on in Cox & Danks today, was: 'If day. may I take this opportunity to ask places until the weather turns the of remorse, reinstate him the next day something'. Photo and story by permission of all those who have these Mitts out on man for some stupidity and then, full it has assured him a place in history. found which we hope will be ironed charities. you don't know what to do, do of trials on the new depth gauge and loan officially or otherwise to return his work at Scapa, gave every penny of his fees to hospitals and other operation the world has ever known;

going on Christmas leave the next for Neoprene Mitts to be worn, so

a heart that was easily touched.

the street. 'Metal Industries News'. were ill; hand out half-crowns to

at a higher wage.

-- 51 —

(`25,000 tons of

Seydlitz

That, however, is another story

S you know this Unit works in close co-operation with the

A.E.D.U. under the direction of

Experimental Clearance

He would visit each of his branches and all that can be said of it here is

All through the arduous years of that Cox was again the driving The

We have carried out several very

This team now consists of Lieut-

.force.

pressed air, as though she was a

Rosyth still upside down. It took Danks was steadily expanding its

raised her by filling her with com-

bow or the stern no fewer than 40

him a year. obstinacy') gave a great deal of processing. the operations at Scapa, Cox & trouble : 'indeed', said Cox, 'we He "always set up a commotion." balloon, and had her towed to times before we secured her'.

created a record by raising either the

activities in scrap collection and

in turn and, as a colleague put it, 'he man Robbie and Able Seaman interesting trials, the first being a trip Futcher.

always set up a commotion'. ranged and the unit started work. we would not be able to finish the Leading Seaman Hough, Able Sea-

0800 until 2300 each day, much to Davison. A programme was ar- After the first day it was decided that trials in time unless we worked from of Dr. Rawlins and his assistant Dr. to 'Glen Fruin' for escape trials from

enant Hodgson, Petty Officer Hills, ditched aircraft, under the direction

A the Superintendent of Diving. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

which lay

Hindenburg

Moltke

"You can imagine the anxiety as

There was the

It would need a volume of several

On August 25th the

"You will understand my feelings

"After a further quarter of an hour everything was lost again, but

suddenly the list stopped.

degrees, four degrees, five degrees, six degrees'. By this time I thought

he called out at intervals 'two

"His duty was to observe the angle

battle cruisers that Cox lifted. on the bottom upside down. Cox

hundred pages to tell adequately the stories of the 26 destroyers and seven

to be broken up.

left Scapa in tow for Rosyth, there

ever been lifted." biggest ship in the world that had

when I mention that this was the

`six degrees'. and I knew that all was

well.

he called out 6i degrees" and then

of list, which was measured by a special scale on the bridge.

handy if she turned over.

since there were plenty of boats

-- 50 —

still upside down, arrives at Rosyth

Moltke,

he was perfectly safe

bridge: 'he had a life-

Battle Cruiser

.:

again.

"I had already spent £40,000

"I knew that the next time we

"As my patience had been

"We therefore let her down

Cox had put a man on the

my complete reuination".

The crucial day was July 22nd

water again. If this next attempt was unsuccessful, it would mean

during the first attempt to raise the ship and my money was going like

be the critical point in the whole operation.

began to raise the ship she would

placed in position.

exhausted, I came away for three 600 tons of concrete were being weeks' rest while the additional

severely tried and was nearly block on the other side.

right track. now assured that I was on the

again and built another concrete

Hindenburg's

belt on and

The agonising moment as she tilted 1930. www.mcdoa.org.uk

water dark grey. These Mitts, I every one else who has used it agrees must confess, are a great asset to a that it is 100%. diver; diving in very cold water is now almost a pleasure. At the present time we are engaged in helping with the trials on the Another new thing coming is the Divers Underwater Communication Surface Demand Diving Equipment System which is explained fully in (S.D.D.E.). This is one of the best another article by Mr. Grosvener of sets I have ever dived in during my A.E.D.U. 4p, 16 years in the diving world, and

An Old Mine for a New Team ROLEX have produced a new watch for sea-going acti- HE unexpected so often turns cylinders, etc., so it was not an vities called the Submariner. Particularly designed for out to be the unusual and so it entirely optimistic team that went to deep-sea divers, this special. Oyster wristwatch is guaran- Twas with the last few days of the investigate this one, though to give teed waterproof and pressureproof to 660 ft. (200 metres) current C.D.O. and C.D.1's course. the Skipper of the Ilfracombe Belle under water. Incorporated in the Submariner is the Over a beer and a game of skittles his due, he had trawled this object two days before the final result was revolutionary "Time-Recorder" revolving rim, which off the sea bed, realized its possible known, the three qualifying C.D.'s nature, and without disturbing it at enables the watch to be used as a stop-watch. It is in- Tag Caisley, James Majendie and all, secured the neck of the net valuable for navigation, speed testing etc., and indispens- George Wookey, the latter two around the mine and lowered it as able to divers, who can now tell at a glance how long they destined for Bomb and Mine Dis- gently to the sea bed as possible, have been under water and how long they may safely posal duties in the near future, marking it well with a small buoy stay there. were detailed to assist Lieut-Cdr. Mc and wire — the depth about ninety Lanachan and Lieut John Grattan feet. in recovery and disposal of a sus- pected mine trawled up by a fishing Diving time is very limited be- trawler off Newhaven. tween flood and ebb tide and Early the following morning the visibility not at all good in this 30th March, saw the three embryo locality, consequently diving had to B. and M.D. officers madly dashing be progressed as quickly as possible. around preparing sets of mixture Mac, already dressed and equipped, breathing apparatus and gathering slipped over the side, pulled himself other odd sundries normally re- down the mooring wire against the quired for such a job. increasing tide and finally reached the object completely shrouded in By 1300 the team had arrived at fish net. A few minutes later up he Newhaven, located the Ilfracombe came, having decided that the object Belle, on which there was not a sign was indeed a mine — and without of life, and started loading all the any delay started preparing a ten gear on board, whilst one of our pound charge to be taken down by number scoured the town to find the the next diver. elusive Skipper who, it seemed, knew precisely under which wave three With a weighty charge like this as and a half miles out at sea he had ballast the diver was quickly lost to ROLEX dumped the mine. the surface and was soon cutting a Now as everyone knows, there are way through the net. Reaching as far mines, and mines — many of them into the parachute packet as possible, turn out to be old boilers, gas the charge was placed, the cordtex — 53 — www.mcdoa.org.uk

GEO. W. W. GEO.

we learned learned we

Each successive successive Each

Age Age

Vernon Vernon

To round off this useful intro- useful this off round To

On return to to return On

Birling Gap, where there remained remained there where Gap, Birling

but a high proportion of them are are them of proportion high a but

hundreds of A.A. shells fired during during fired shells A.A. of hundreds

the War. Many of these are solid, solid, are these of Many War. the

5 o'clock to a section of beach called called beach of section a to o'clock 5

tide seems to reveal more and the the and more reveal to seems tide

will occupy disposal units for some some for units disposal occupy will

the number of blistered feet. Never- feet. blistered of number the

went the following two mornings at at mornings two following the went

filled and must be disposed of by by of disposed be must and filled two days was 163, not to mention mention to not 163, was days two

countermining. countermining. time to come. Our score for these these for score Our come. to time

pleasure. pleasure.

theless three days to remember with with remember to days three theless

promoted. promoted.

and these all before 1940. 1940. before all these and

duction io practical mine disposal, we we disposal, mine practical io duction are recorded as having been laid, laid, been having as recorded are

that Lieut McLanachan had been been had McLanachan Lieut that

job of disposing of them is one which which one is them of disposing of job

Date and Place Qualified Qualified Place and Date

-- 55 -- -- 55 --

Off. No No Off.

Diving Magazine. Magazine. Diving

Divers' Employment Bureau Bureau Employment Divers'

The Bureau continues to function, and if you wish your name to be be to name your wish you if and function, to continues Bureau The

Applicants must be either serving R.N. Divers or Ex-R.N. Divers Divers Ex-R.N. or Divers R.N. serving either be must Applicants

This information will be filed and referred to as and when diving diving when and as to referred and filed be will information This

Now of course we all fondly fondly all we course of Now

Certainly a most interesting mine mine interesting most a Certainly

recorded please forward the undermentioned to the Employment Bureau. Bureau. Employment the to undermentioned the forward please recorded

Willing to Serve Abroad Abroad Serve to Willing

Diving Rate Rate Diving

Diving Experience Experience Diving

who are subscribers to the the to subscribers are who

Rating Rating

Equipment Experienced in in Experienced Equipment Private Address Address Private

Time Expired or Expires Expires or Expired Time

Full Name Name Full

it will advise applicants on vacant diving situations. situations. diving vacant on applicants advise will it

employment is required. The Bureau does not assure you of a job, but but job, a of you assure not does Bureau The required. is employment

hour picking up the choicest of fish- of choicest the up picking hour

peared but a few sprats that the sea sea the that sprats few a but peared

imagined we could spend the next next the spend could we imagined

migratory season — nothing ap- nothing — season migratory

to prevent anyone raising it above above it raising anyone prevent to

plume of water shot way above the the above way shot water of plume with bomb fuze which was designed designed was which fuze bomb with

— a type which has not been seen seen been not has which type a —

lowered as carefully and quickly as as quickly and carefully as lowered

German 'A' ground magnetic mine mine magnetic ground 'A' German

possible to the bottom. This time time This bottom. the to possible

surface. surface. 1 guess it must have been the fishes fishes the been have must it guess 1

with fingers crossed we waited the the waited we crossed fingers with

15 feet below the surface. Only 50 50 Only surface. the below feet 15

since the early days of the war. A A war. the of days early the since

gulls beat us to anyway. anyway. to us beat gulls

satisfying thump and a magnificent magnificent a and thump satisfying

six minutes delay — then a most most a then — delay minutes six job was completed and the mine mine the and completed was job

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

mine. mine.

magnetic dip needle needle dip magnetic

Never had a charge been made up up made been charge a had Never

By a strange phenomenon the the phenomenon strange a By

remaining on the mine. At last the the last At mine. the on remaining

secure it tightly to the few projections projections few the to tightly it secure

so rapidly — fingers fumbled to to fumbled fingers — rapidly so

location unlikely. unlikely. location

flowing that would make future future make would that flowing

plunged to the bottom in 90 feet of of feet 90 in bottom the to plunged

water, and with such a strong tide tide strong a such with and water,

another charge before the mine mine the before charge another

would be sufficient time to secure secure to time sufficient be would

appeared doubtful whether there there whether doubtful appeared

trawler surged up and down. It It down. and up surged trawler

clutches of the tattered net as the the as net tattered the of clutches

slowly but surely slipping from the the from slipping surely but slowly

the mine, weighing half a ton, was was ton, a half weighing mine, the

enabled positive indentification, but but indentification, positive enabled

and switches were still intact and and intact still were switches and

the net where it hung entangled. entangled. hung it where net the

housing of the mine into the side of of side the into mine the of housing

The various pockets, fuze housings housings fuze pockets, various The

inally and blown the parachute parachute the blown and inally

charge had split the aluminium case case aluminium the split had charge

complete the firing circuit, thus thus circuit, firing the complete

upon release of water pressure and and pressure water of release upon

firing the mine. mine. the firing

. of the mine along the seams longitud- seams the along mine the of .

— 54 — — 54 —

Trawled up off Newhaven. Newhaven. off up Trawled

German Mine type G.A., one of the early German ground ground German early the of one G.A., type Mine German

With the end of the net visible visible net the of end the With

Back we went to recover the buoy buoy the recover to went we Back

The fuze ignited and supported on on supported and ignited fuze The

trifle dangerous as a hydrostatic hydrostatic a as dangerous trifle

system within the mine could operate operate could mine the within system

to bring it up any further could be a a be could further any up it bring to

about 25 feet below the trawler — trawler the below feet 25 about

above the surface the mine hung hung mine the surface the above

pound charge in closer proximity to to proximity closer in charge pound

possible and attach a further ten ten further a attach and possible

the detonator. detonator. the

to lift what remained as far as as far as remained what lift to

this tide, so the decision was made made was decision the so tide, this

plications in drawing it up. Diving Diving up. it drawing in plications

deep was now out of the question on on question the of out now was deep

and wire, never expecting any com- any expecting never wire, and

no such thing. thing. such no

pressive plume of water burst above above burst water of plume pressive

the surface we were diasppointed — diasppointed were we surface the

but if we expected to see an im- an see to expected we if but

eternity before the charge detonated, detonated, charge the before eternity

tired to a safe distance and waited. waited. and distance safe a to tired

The six minutes delay seemed an an seemed delay minutes six The the surface by a small float, we re- we float, small a by surface the

lead straining against the tide to the the to tide the against straining lead trawler above. above. trawler (3 LINES)

51

.

work carried out.

All classes of ocean and coastal towage undertaken. Harbour clearances and

all branches of diving and underwater

GE &

E SUVA E,

CONTRACTORS

includes

Fleet

------A ML SAL INDUSTRIES GROUP COMPANY

456 tons 850 I.H.P.

593 tons 1275 I.H.P.

781 tons 1200 .H.P.

she following:

The Comhanys

Plantagenet"

"Salveda"

"Metinda III"

TELEPHONE (DAY & NIGHT) GARELOCHHEAD 3

FASLANE PORT 'SHANDON DUNBARTONSHIftE

METAL INDUSTRIES (SALVAGE) LIMITED

(

1

U 0

a- a. . 111

a. a O U —1

a

U.

z a. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk