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• www.mcdoa.org.uk1 www.mcdoa.org.uk Contents R.N. Diving Magazine rdge EDITORIAL 3 EDITORIAL STAFF Editor .. P.O. R. W. LLOYD ST. PAUL'S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL, MALTA Cartoonist .. .. P.O. M. J. BRASSINGTON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 5 Secretary and Treasurer .. Lt. E. W. J. SMITH, R.N. Photographic Adviser Mr. R. FORDHAM THE LOOK AHEAD 9 PORTSMOUTH COMMAND B. AND M.D. NOTES .. 12 Vol. 10 Summer 1963 No. 2 RETIREMENT OF 'MR. MAC' .. 13 Two NAVY DIVERS FIGHT TO SAVE FRENCH TRAWLER 15 Editorial H.M.S. `KEPPEL' 16 N the last issue the Editor, P.O. Dickie Radford, thanked his PROMOTIONS AND ADVANCEMENTS • . 19 Ipredecessor for his first class turnover, but obviously the pow- TORNADO AMPHIBIOUS CARTRIDGE HAMMER 21 ers that be think that Editors shouldn't get too comfortable in PORT DIVING UNIT, LONDONDERRY .. 22 their chairs. For I now have to THE WET AND DRY COMPRESSION INSTALLATION thank him for his excellent turn- 26 over, he having sustained a draft SCOTTISH B. AND M.D. 28 chit to the Naval equivilant of the Siberian salt mines as Cox'n of EMERGENCY UNDERWATER ASCENTS FOR THE AMATEUR DIVER 31 H.M.S. Flockton in the Persian Gulf! 37 For the last few weeks I've had nightmare's, visualising the Mag. !'RAIN TRIVIA 39 being published with blank pages interspersed with adverts, but just 1111 AN(,1() I WINCH SINK RA El: TRIALS • • 43 before printing time things picked up and material came in. Many . 1 )1 1 I, WA II le SPURTS R1,1)1( I 49 thanks to those who have con- R.M.S. IN 1940-41 My Invo Jun 53 tributed to this edition. Of course you'd think I'd be [Pm [Ovum 56 able to rest on my laurels for a while, but already I'm wondering where on earth articles will be coming from for the Christmas edition! Pavia! Address: The Magazine is always open to new ideas or suggestions, for instance Tur Einrolt, R.N. Diving Magazine, it has been suggested that we have a 'Personality Page' where 'characters' of I I. M .S. 'VERNON', PORTSMOUTH, HANTS, the branch would have their history laid out much the same as 'This is Your Vt' Life' accompanied with a photograph of the person. It would seem a good ENGLAND way of putting things on record as would team photographs: when you write about the team send a 'photo of them, then you'll be able to look back and say 'There's old so and so'. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk With the exception of H.M.S. Keppel, with her unique rescue by her divers of a sinking French tralwer, we have no ship news and nearly every ship has a diving team of a sort, so let's be hearing from you. Letters to the Editor

Due to the increased cost of production the price of blazer badges has From C.P.O. Jim Henderickx of tank and miles of rope and sinkers, now gone up to 30/-, ties are, still 12/6 plus,6d. postage which is good value the Belgian Navy, whose name has in fact everything except the kitchen as the ties are Terylene. become quite familiar to us in the sink. When the loading was com- Magazine. Thank you Jim we are pleted we left Ostend, this was early We are unable to get the Siebe Gorman Manual Deep Diving and always glad to hear from you. morning, arriving at Robertville at Submarine Operations at a reduced price, but on request we can obtain them twenty-three hundred the same day. at £3 3s. Od. each EDITOR. It all started on a very cold day in The Army had built a diving April, a man on a bicycle was passing pontoon for us so we dumped all our a lake called Robertville in Belguim gear on this then drove to the when he noticed car tracks in the barracks which was another 30 miles St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, Malta snow leading down a hill through onward, arriving about 2 o'clock in some broken bushes and disappear- the morning. Being typically Army VER a hundred years ago, but we must now appeal to a far ing into the lake, he reported the there were no beds or tea or anything Queen Adelaide built at her own Wider public. matter to the local constabulary and organised at all; after a long drive Oexpense a very fine church, now it was later found that a woman who this went down very well with the The Cathedral enshrines memorials called St. Paul's Cathedral, to pro- owned a cafe in a nearby village was team. to all those who died in defence of vide a worthy place of worship for missing; she had been seen earlier Malta during the last World War. Next morning work commenced at British families working and living in in the evening of the previous day, There must be many who would wish 7 o'clock and it was freezing cold, it Malta. Many thousands of civilians being given a lift in a van by a friend, to see such memorials preserved. took us about an hour to drive to the and Servicemen have since used and so the identity of the van and missing There are others who have regularly lake, then diving started. come to love this Cathedral. couple was established. worshipped there or who have family Four shot ropes were lowered and During the last World War Malta connections with the Cathedral. The water of the lake was used for we started working down a gradient survived a long siege by a relentless There are also those who value and drinking purposes so when there was in 15 metres of water working about enemy. The Cathedral was damaged, profit from the British connection no sign of the bodies the Mayor of five to ten metres a time moving the though not seriously. Today it has with Malta. Robertville asked for the assistance pontoon towards the centre of the of a civilian diver to see if he could lake. A boat hook 30 feet long was been attacked by another equally The Duke of Edinburgh and Sir relentless enemy a beetle — which find the van. The diver had no luck used in a circular motion to see if Winston Churchill have taken the in his search, so the Belgian Army anything could be felt as the visability has so seriously damaged the roof lead in contributing to the Fund. limbers that they became dangerous. were asked to send their diving team was nil, the temperature of the water We hope that many others will follow to see if they could locate it. was about three degrees centigrade, The Cathedral has been closed and their lead by giving generously. Illy I I II II (111111)11'd' :jc I \ n , a re The Army team are equipped with we had no gloves and I can assure 1,, my held in the crypt. Contributions may be sent by Siebe Gorman Standard diving suits, you it was cold, really cold. There ordinary 3d. letter either to the but because of regulations are not are other words of course but one \ I 1111,I 1., 11,(w 'whip 1,11..vi1 Itt Treasurer, HAFM ED, Floriana, allowed to dive to depths greater never knows who is reading the I, I ,,III 1,111111.11,1 and (11,1,,(\ 111. Malta, Ci.C., or to Lady Dorman, than 25 metres (82 feet) and they had Magazine. ,I I ill II 1. 111,11 In,I I I II. 1.11111( .11111 I'hc Palace, San Anton, Malta, G.C., no luck either. Our Diving Officer Was the first to ti 111111 1 ,1 \ ' , WWI VIA' Itnd and marked 'For the Cathedral By this time the situation was dive and diving continued for two d A 1,(1.11 ,11. at least Appeal Fund'. weeks, Saturdays and Sundays in- I tn (inn 'Hulce& III I i. t:12,000 becoming pretty serious and the 11.1. 111, atly 'wen committed to (lie Yours, locals were refusing to drink the cluded, we even dived on the 1st of May which is a big national holiday 1....,1.11 action ,,I the entire roof water. In the end the Mayor asked MICHAEL CANTUAR for the assistance of the Naval diving in Belgium. On this particular day we 111. I 1. already in progress. These STANLEY GIBRALTAR ..11111.. ate 1,11. beyond the resources of team. had thousands of spectators, and I WALTER CHESHIRE thought to myself at the time, 'Jimmy tlw British people in Malta, most of On receiving the signal we loaded MAURICE DORMAN my boy' if you take the hat round \\,11, un arc only on the Island for a all our equipment into two three GUY GRANTHAM now we will be millionaires'. cl mipp rat ively short time. They have DERIC HOLLAND-MAR FIN tonners, taking all our Standard gear, h(.:.(ly done magnificently in raising HARRY LUKE this being English and German The search continued taking the the substantial sum of nearly £5,000, THURLOW. `Drager', two air compressor's, a width of the diving pontoon, from portable one man decompression 15 to 52 metres each time towards 4 www.mcdoa.org.uk 5 www.mcdoa.org.uk the centre of the lake. After 28 days published in the forces magazine of diving, even the local water diviner our country as well as daily and Photo: T. Glover 1 was called in. With the help of a weekly newspapers. Belgian Naval Lt.-Cdr. who does The team consists of the following I this for a hobby he took a cross fix, divers (I'll mention the names just in and he was later found about ten case anyone has met them):— D.O. yards out with his fix. Le Vincent, 1st C.D. Marcel De On the 29th day I went down to do Beck, 1st C.D. Ciril Vanderkoeck, a search where a metal detector had 1st C.D. Louis Vangeffelen, 1st C.D. given a very strong reading, working Jimmy Henderickx and C.D. Gilbert 1 at 52 metres and using decompression D'hondt, C.D. being the abbreviation table No. 2, I stayed down for 20 for Chief Diver. 1 minutes searching but all I found was some old blacksmiths tools; to ascend it took me two-and-a-half Dear Sir, 1 1 hours. The diver who followed me, As an ex-D2 I do thoroughly enjoy i when he touched bottom, yelled going to the annual Divers' Dinner . through the 'phone, I'm right on top and having a natter with old-ships, i of the car'. The D.O. took the ex-instructors, Diving Officers and 1 'phone and told him he was crazy, other runashore oppo's . . . whoops ! back came the reply — ! * ? ! * up he came, so on the 29th day the But seeing as 80% of the parti- 1 car was located. cipants at the dinner are from 'the i 1 Next morning another pontoon trade' (lofty term meaning anybody i was made by the Army with a winch with connections), the chance of on it and a cable was secured to the running up against one's old oppo's I is becoming increasingly difficult. If ! O car and it was lifted under the pon- toon, both pontoons were moved to only those in the fleet realise how it i the shore and a mobile crane lifted much people like myself, recently the van onto the shore. out of the branch, do appreciate 1 having a wet with those still in, not It was identified as the missing van. only to go over old exploits, dirty i Later in the day we went to see the weekends, green rubs, etc., but for a Happy working at 180 feet i bodies, the intense cold and pressure general discussion on the merits of because he knows he can had kept them in perfect condition, staying in or out, what's happening rely on his Automatic that is apart from being dead. The outside, etc. doctor said they had died from Decompression Meter and drowning as there was no sign of Similarly, explanation of some of De Sanctis Depth Gauge damage to the bodies, it was obvious the newer types of equipment of it also from their position that they had which people speak so glibly and tried very hard to escape. write so nonchalantly in the magazine . . like S.D.D.E. Only a letter in l 1 All our work was now done so we the Daily Telegraph explained what downed tools for the day and went the letters meant and some idea of on the beer, this lasted till the 1 1 the principle of the new equipment. following morning when we loaded Perhaps the magazine could perform EQUIPMENT our gear back onto the lorries and this service, i.e., an article in each S.O.S. DIVING LIMITED drove back to Ostend. edition, written perhaps by the 1 1 The total diving time was 305 dives Editor's staff or the Diving Officer in 16 St. Philips Place, Paddington Green, London W.2 for the Navy, and over 100 by the the chair, on the new outfits proposed i i Army. The team was given a Com- by A.E.D.U., their functions and how 1.--...... —...... ------_____; mendation by the Minister of Defence it works for us souls who like to keep for their work and the story was up with everything. www.mcdoa.org.uk 7 www.mcdoa.org.uk Three Eternal Questions: Hobart the Tasman Bridge now The Look Ahead Query 1. Did Shan Tuck get his nearing completion, still have their four Hookah divers, one Aussie C.D. pub? LT.-CDR. S. A. WARNER, D.S.C., Royal Navy.. and three local makie learners. Then by Query 2. Did Johnny Bull become a there is the Marine Board of Launce- fairground 'Bingo' barker stons five year project of widening N my last article I tried to cover of one foot in depth there is a Southend? and deepening the main channel the problems of man's efforts to corresponding increase in pressure of Query 3. Did Knobby Hall ever get through rock in the River Tamar. Iincrease his ability to dive deeper about Ib. Have we ever made any his car to go? Until test drilling is completed to and why. real effort to harness this vast reservior of energy? Yours sincerely, establish the depth of rock to be blasted, it wont be possible to fore- In this article I propose to go a BRIAN G. OWERS. cast how many divers will be required. little further and put forward some We know that temperature grad- Deep holes drilled from craft will questions and ideas which I hope will ients are always present in the sea. at least provide a basis for discussion Dear Sir, require not less than two Steamers. Has anybody ever made an effort to Shallow blasting, charges placed to a and thought. turn this into usuable energy? Once away from U.K. these pattern on the rock will involve a magazines are one of the few reliable Constantly I am asked— Why do team of six swimmers using S.D.B.A. The actual sea alone contains many sources of information on new This time there should be no need to we want to go underwater? What is methods and techniques in use with the attraction? Is there any end materials in solution which man re- call for Lt. Rea, Willie Wyvall and quires for his existence but the large the diving world of today. This, team to clear dumped ammo as we project? together with the rich humour in each land areas which are submerged are did on a similar job in Mombasa, From the purely sport side the almost entirely virgin in all aspects of publication is very good value for my Kenya. money. answer is easy. It is not terribly development. As time goes by and we get more difficult to explain how almost every On this island (Tasmania) there are organised we should be able to dig three major marine construction pro- science has an underwater application Britain has a great historical back- up a few bits and pieces to help the and the Military problem is shrouded ground based almost entirely on the jects in hand that involve divers. The magazine out. North West coasts new port of in security anyway but I feel that we sea and yet we appear to have failed Burnie, with Sam Deenus of Rosyth Yours faithfully, should look ahead much further to exploit the immense possibilities leading a team of six divers. In HARRY PROCTOR. than the apparently obvious reasons which it has to offer. Of course the for submerging. Time after time we research and exploration necessary, hear that old cliche about 'Two thirds before economical exploitation of of the earths surface is covered by this type of venture would pay, would water and remains almost totally be tremendous, but this has not Divers' Annual unexplored'. Rarely do we hear that deterred us in the past. Whilst I within and below that vast expanse appreciate that Britain is not by her- Reunion Dinner of sea there is deposited every form self a competition in the 'Man in of energy or material that man has Space Race' I cannot help comparing HIS year the newly styled Diver's ever employed and probably much the untold millions which are being TDinner will be held on Thursday more that has not yet been discovered spent in this field, yet the space pro- 12th December 1963 at Kimbells gramme appears to offer very little Osborne Road, Southsea. To capitalise on this vast repository material gain. of wealth a considerable amount of The running and organisation of effort would have to be invested but the dinner has been transferred from at least we know that there could be Is it not time that we looked into the Superintendent of Diving to the a goal with some very real end the resources and possibilities of our Head of the Diving Section; and products. own heritage and took up the chal- with the retirement of Lt-Cdr. Filer, lenge of the sea? Should we not ex- the Secretary for this year's dinner Man has talked about harnessing pand our thinking to way beyond will be Lt. Parry. the tides for generations but has this ship salvage, and maximum depths Individual letters will be circulated problem been really tackled in a with which the human frame can in due course to all diver's and ex- large way? compete and think of the entire diver's for whom this function is oceans as a treasure chest which is primarily held, We know that with every increase available to man? 8 www.mcdoa.org.uk 9 ITS ALL

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HEARD Or SEA HORSES, Berrli-V% i5 MAD/.

May I take this opportunity of

As I am hoping that their Lord-

In saying farewell I know that the

my time in the Portsmouth command thanking all Divers, Officers, Ratings Clearance Diving Officer. and civilians for their help, co- operation and comradeship, during

and throughout my career as a my joining the Reserve (a fortnight's

their tolerant and benign approval to wish you good-bye but conclude by ships may be kind enough to give training once per annum), I will not hoping that 'I'm no awa tae bide awa'. Most of us have also had the pleasure

tremendous amount during that time. can say that they did not learn a recitation or singing form 'rendering `Mac' at some time or other and few

of listening to Mac when he is in

End to John O'Groats would like to

some fine old Scottish Ballads'.

be included in our best wishes for coastguard and police from Lands

health, wealth and happiness in his retirement to 'Mr. Mac'.

13

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.

'Non41-4005

Retirement of 'Mr. Mac'

ZnAilei EoN

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

kV.

the Rill...! ladder '

5001b. British G.P. bomb at

'It hurts a bit—but it saves running up

T is always sad to say farewell to a My relief, is that well known or has been in the business as long, diver but particularly so when he

I was hoping to become a civil

Hastings. Unfortunately for me but

the taxpayer, I am due to retire after

a Jackie Rea recently returned from fortunately for the Admiratly and this week, I fear it's the dole queue `Dressing room sweeper at the Windmill'. Summer leave. should I say infamous character for me, perhaps I might achieve a McLanachan, sorting things out in Brunei. long cherished ambition of becoming

servant, but after taking the exam.

into every detail of his career. Suffice to say that he has served I am sure that he would object if I went continuously in Clearance Diving and served it so well as Lt.Cdr. W. Y.

nobody has served the Royal Navy longer than any other C.D.O. and and the branch more conscientiously than he. Almost everybody in the

C.D. Branch has operated with Mr. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

Adieu

Probably this will be the last straw

mander. However, despite these historic that will break the Camel's back.

propeller and window changing. On changes the team have been kept fairly busy on diving tasks, mainly

ships husbandry jobs, such as dome, the disposal side our most interesting fully locating a murder weapon and at Staines for a mythical G.D. mine, assistance to the police in success-

jobs have been a search in the Thames

Vernon

Command

Portsmouth

Disposal Notes

Bomb and Mine

and Mac's Lament and

This has resulted in an

Search for mine in the River Thames at Staines, 6th May 1963

URING the Summer Term,

mouth Command Bomb and

administration of the Ports-

Vernon.

Mine Disposal Team within D `deadweight' on the already over- tendent of Diving to the Commander of is a better word, from the Superin- Diving, and more weight possibly has been passed or perhaps slipped increased lightness an jauntiness in the step of the Superintendent of burdened shoulders of the Corn- www.mcdoa.org.uk

The Daily Telegraph—June 13th: Two Navy Divers Fight to Save French Trawler Frigate Receives 'Holed by Iceberg' Signal

WO Royal Navy Divers last Then a watertight mat will be rigged night worked in sub-zero con- and the hold pumped out', a Naval Tditions underwater to try to keep spokesman said. the damaged and flooded French `This will take a long time, but deep-water trawler Alex Pleven afloat until this is done it will be dangerous after she struck an iceberg off the to raise steam again in the damaged North Cape off Iceland. ship.' The trawler, 1,763 tons, registered The Keppel is commanded by at St. Malo, rammed the iceberg in Lt.-Cdr. N. A. B. Anson. It is one poor visibility. She was badly holed. of four Blackwood class former anti- Her forward hold flooded rapidly. submarine frigates which have been The divers, from the fishery pro- given strengthened hulls to stand up tection frigate Keppel, 1,180 tons, to the severe weather conditions in worked throughout the half light of Icelandic waters. the short Artic night in an attempt to carry out emergency repairs on Freeing Trawls the spot. MANY-NATION WORK: was 100 miles away The Keppel The Keppel's divers, like the petty when the first distress signal reached officers in the other three ships, her. When she arrived on the scene SENIOR SERVICE Duncan, Malcom and Palliser, have CifyIrt tie LW," ry Alex Plevin was well down by Th Pbff;ilon~ the had considerable experience in work- the bow. But,there were no casualties ing in below zero water conditions A series of signals relayed to the freeing the trawls and fouled pro- Admiralty through Port Edgar, the peller shafts of ships of many nations. frigate's Firth of Forth base, told of the struggle in the far northern But this is the first time they have waters. Intercepted messages from a been called to aid a ship which nearby Icelandic gunboat, Maria rammed an iceberg. Julia, 138 tons, and the German The Keppel has been on her present inspection ship Meerkatze indicated patrol for the last two weeks. that they, too, had turned towards the crippled trawler. The United States and Canadian Ice Patrol organisation were informed Watertight Mat of the exact position of the accident. HOLD TO BE PUMPED: This organisation charts iceberg movements from Greenland as far Reports from Reykjavik last night south as Cape Horn. that the big trawler was already steaming towards the Icelandic port SENIOR SERVICE were discounted by the Admiralty. We wish to express our thanks to `Despite the freezing cold the the Daily Telegraph for permission to divers will work until they exactly reproduce this article from their estimate the damage and report back. newspaper 13th June 1963. www.mcdoa.org.uk 15

and and

The The

Keppel Keppel

Alex Pleven. Pleven. Alex

into Akureyri Fiord Fiord Akureyri into

anchored in Akureyri Akureyri in anchored

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

At 1430 on 13th May, May, 13th on 1430 At

By 0100 the pumps were gaining gaining were pumps the 0100 By

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

the leaks had reduced even further. further. even reduced had leaks the

plugging. I found that although the the although that found I plugging.

wood had swollen with the water and and water the with swollen had wood missing. During this time the soft soft the time this During missing.

Fiord and I dived again to check the the check to again dived I and Fiord through the night, only one plug was was plug one only night, the through

trawler had steamed at 12 knots knots 12 at steamed had trawler

as the weather forecast warned us of of us warned forecast weather the as

the the

on the water and the divers had had divers the and water the on approaching bad weather. weather. bad approaching the trawlermen. trawlermen. the

completed their task. We escorted escorted We task. their completed

the removal of a 3 inch trawling trawling inch 3 a of removal the

into the hold and passing gear up to to up gear passing and hold the into

dropped. One of the biggest jobs was was jobs biggest the of One dropped.

warp, two miles long! The divers divers The long! miles two warp,

assisted during this time by going going by time this during assisted

moved the gear from the damaged damaged the from gear the moved

compartments as the water level level water the as compartments

crew of the trawler gradually re- gradually trawler the of crew

equipment to the the to equipment

alongside to allow easy transport of of transport easy allow to alongside

17 17

moved moved

the divers divers the

Keppel Keppel

Akureyri Fiord, Iceland, with bows back to normal. normal. to back bows with Iceland, Fiord, Akureyri

In In

Vernon — — Vernon

The divers worked through the the through worked divers The

During this time, time, this During

the flooded forward compartments. compartments. forward flooded the

used all available pumps to pump out out pump to pumps available all used

break in the work. The Engineers Engineers The work. the in break

The divers experienced cramp very very cramp experienced divers The ances before returning to the surface. surface. the to returning before ances

frequently but there was never a a never was there but frequently

could continue work for full endur- full for work continue could

obtained in in obtained

made — from the templates I I templates the from — made

thanks to the neophrene gloves we we gloves neophrene the to thanks

day to stop the flow of water. The The water. of flow the stop to day

sea temperature was 42 degrees and and degrees 42 was temperature sea

wood. wood.

plates were up to 4 inches apart, and and apart, inches 4 to up were plates

and plug the rivet holes with soft soft with holes rivet the plug and ordered the divers to wedge the splits splits the wedge to divers the ordered

plates were sprung and damaged for for damaged and sprung were plates

so on my return to the surface I I surface the to return my on so

badly buckled. about 10 feet below below feet 10 about buckled. badly about 12 feet. In two places the the places two In feet. 12 about

350 rivets were missing and that the the that and missing were rivets 350

the visibility very good, so I could could I so good, very visibility the

the water line. The sea was calm and and calm was sea The line. water the see quite clearly that approximately approximately that clearly quite see

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

were all on deck and and deck on all were

stopped close by and I took took I and by close stopped

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

Keppel Keppel

On arrival we saw that the crew of of crew the that saw we arrival On

possible. The first job was to assess assess to was job first The possible.

the extent of the damage and on on and damage the of extent the

to the trawler and secured to their their to secured and trawler the to port bow, as close to the damage as as damage the to close as bow, port

the divers in the ship's whaler over over whaler ship's the in divers the

inspection I found the ship was very very was ship the found I inspection

that their boats were already turned turned already were boats their that

out and ready for slipping. slipping. for ready and out

the the

16 16

had had

P. V. MITCHELL, R.N., S.W.D.O. S.W.D.O. R.N., MITCHELL, V. P.

Divers about to commence work. work. commence to about Divers

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

H.M.S. `Keppel' `Keppel' H.M.S.

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

SUB. LT. LT. SUB.

by by

"Alex Pleven", 8 ft. down at bows, 90 miles off the coast of Ireland. Ireland. of coast the off miles 90 bows, at down ft. 8 Pleven", "Alex

French trawler trawler French

S.O.S. was received from the the from received was S.O.S.

T 0900 on May 12th 1963 an an 1963 12th May on 0900 T

We proceeded at full speed to close close to speed full at proceeded We

repair if possible. possible. if repair hit a submerged iceberg 90 miles off off miles 90 iceberg submerged a hit

to dive to assess damage and to to and damage assess to dive to

the north coast of Iceland. Iceland. of coast north the

the damaged ship and during the the during and ship damaged the

approach the ship's divers prepared prepared divers ship's the approach (1,700) tons. 'The 'The tons. (1,700)

of of

Alex Alex

assist, assist,

divers divers

The The

assistance assistance

alongside the the alongside

manner! manner!

P. V. Mitchell, Mitchell, V. P.

should be beached beached be should

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

S. C. Mansfield Mansfield C. S.

was to sail for St. Malo the the Malo St. for sail to was

A.B. J. F. P. Curran Curran P. F. J. A.B.

A.B. I. Duxbury Duxbury I. A.B.

L.S. A. Vernon Vernon A. L.S.

L.S. D. V. Williams Williams V. D. L.S.

P.O. P.O.

L.S. D. W. Audoire Audoire W. D. L.S.

L.S. G. W. Martin Martin W. G. L.S.

N.B. — The trawler owner thanked thanked owner trawler The — N.B.

Having done all we could to to could we all done Having

The engineers and shipwrights shipwrights and engineers The

To C.D. Star: Star: C.D. To

us in the usual service service usual the in us

Ellis, S.W.D. S.W.D. Ellis,

A./B. D. Woods, S.W.D.; J./S. M. M. J./S. S.W.D.; Woods, D. A./B.

S./Lt. A. C. Shepherd, S.W.D.O.; S.W.D.O.; Shepherd, C. A. S./Lt.

S.W.D.O.; A./B. K. Johnston (F.D.) (F.D.) Johnston K. A./B. S.W.D.O.;

following day. The diving team on on team diving The day. following

Keppel:— S.Lt. S.Lt. Keppel:—

Pleven Pleven

pier and sailed from Akureyri to to Akureyri from sailed and pier

continue our patrol. patrol. our continue

we left the the left we

large enough to take a ship of this this of ship a take to enough large size, anywhere in Iceland. Iceland. in anywhere size,

to note that there is not a slipway slipway a not is there that note to

welders from ashore. It is interesting interesting is It ashore. from welders trawler's crew with the the with crew trawler's

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

final check could be made by the the by made be could check final

alongside Akureyri pier so that a a that so pier Akureyri alongside

owner arrived it was agreed that the the that agreed was it arrived owner

compartments and when the trawler trawler the when and compartments

made a good job of shoring up the the up shoring of job good a made

amusement of the ship's company! company! ship's the of amusement

their photographs — much to the the to much — photographs their 19 19 obliged the local press by posing for for posing by press local the obliged Iceland for some years, the the years, some for Iceland

log log

was was

Chernikeef Chernikeef

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

Advancements Advancements

even keel. keel. even

had risen 8 feet, arid arid feet, 8 risen had

A. D. Snell Snell D. A.

now on an an on now

P.O. D. J. Lott Lott J. D. P.O.

P.O. P.O.

Alex Pleven Pleven Alex

K. Shennon, C.D.Star C.D.Star Shennon, K.

A. Charlwood, C.D.Stai C.D.Stai Charlwood, A.

P. Booth, C.D.Star C.D.Star Booth, P.

C. Smith, C.D.Star C.D.Star Smith, C.

D. W. Tyzack, C.D.2 C.D.2 Tyzack, W. D.

D. E. Stevens, C.D.2 C.D.2 Stevens, E. D. R. Pilling, C.D.1 C.D.1 Pilling, R.

R. Flannagan, C.D.1 C.D.1 Flannagan, R.

As there was only one civilian civilian one only was there As

Whilst standing by in case the the case in by standing Whilst

More pumps were brought from from brought were pumps More

To C.D. First Class: Class: First C.D. To

As there was still a small leak, I I leak, small a still was there As

To Acting Petty Officer: Officer: Petty Acting To

To Chief Petty Officer: Officer: Petty Chief To

Promotions and and Promotions

the first French ship to call' in to to in call' to ship French first the of the fact that the the that fact the of

diver in Akureyri, and also because because also and Akureyri, in diver

off 2 inches from the bottom of the the of bottom the from inches 2 off

raise. This we found to be broken, broken, be to found we This raise. ship. ship.

which had been found impossible to to impossible found been had which

dived to check the the check to dived

divers should be required again, we we again, required be should divers

the the

she was was she

trawlers' side. By 2230 the bows of of bows the 2230 By side. trawlers'

to small to hold the blanket on the the on blanket the hold to small to

damage, but the internal suction was was suction internal the but damage,

a polythene backed blanket over the the over blanket backed polythene a

flow. At this time I also tried to place place to tried also I time this At flow.

ashore and .at last we overcame the the overcame we last .at and ashore

to stop. stop. to

that these were too small to see or or see to small too were these that

by the loose rivets and plates, but but plates, and rivets loose the by

large number of tiny holes were made made were holes tiny of number large

bottom. No further damage was was damage further No bottom. found and I could only assume that a a that assume only could I and found

a careful search of the trawlers trawlers the of search careful a

sent the divers down to carry out a a out carry to down divers the sent

■ ■ IIE IIE

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

FAREHAM, HANTS HANTS FAREHAM,

I8 I8

and and

No. 2211 and 2212 2212 and 2211 No.

ROYAL NAVY NAVY ROYAL

WAR RISK RISK WAR

Charging no extra for for extra no Charging

Telephone Telephone

INSURANCE BROKERS BROKERS INSURANCE

DIVERS can normally be placed without extra charge charge extra without placed be normally can DIVERS

WORLD-WIDE COVER COVER WORLD-WIDE

WEST STREET, STREET, WEST

THE BEST ADVICE OBTAINABLE OBTAINABLE ADVICE BEST THE

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS CONDITIONS CLIMATIC

We specialise in ALL forms of Insurance for the the for Insurance of forms ALL in specialise We

Business conducted only with LEADING LIFE OFFICES OFFICES LIFE LEADING with only conducted Business

179 179

CONSIDERABLE SUM OVER THE YEARS YEARS THE OVER SUM CONSIDERABLE

NOTE—Personnel in SUBMARINE SERVICE and NAVAL NAVAL and SERVICE SUBMARINE in NOTE—Personnel

AVIATION (other than Air Crew) Crew) Air than (other AVIATION

COLLYER SMITH & CO. CO. & SMITH COLLYER

REMEMBER, IT COSTS ONLY A STAMP TO TO STAMP A ONLY COSTS IT REMEMBER,

SEND YOUR INSURANCE PROBLEMS AND AND PROBLEMS INSURANCE YOUR SEND

QUERIES TO US AND WE WILL GIVE YOU YOU GIVE WILL WE AND US TO QUERIES SEEK OUR ADVICE YET IT CAN SAVE YOU A A YOU SAVE CAN IT YET ADVICE OUR SEEK Known as the TORNADO T6U

AMPHIBIOUS CARTRIDGE

manipulate the materials he is fixing. HAMMER, is a lightweight tool loaded below as well as well as above only 13 inches long, is breeched The T6U cannot be fired accidentally had held. water, and is a one handed tool thus leaving the diver with a free hand to reported that everyone of the studs weighing six and a half pounds, is the plate when a cargo ship on entering the Dock stuck the plate of the Dock into the cavity. The to examine the fixings and he wall. It took less than six hours to and dented it. A diver was sent down the granite construction of the Dock complete the fixing, after which con- supreme test was accidentally put on crete was pumped from the surface

21

FTER two years research on

various materials, steel, concrete,

fixing methods underwater into

portion of the wall. A diver then

place a Limpet Dam in position to placed in position over the damaged studs through the steel plate into by 10 foot, by 5/16ths. steel plate, was lowered into the fairway and secured the plate in position by firing moulded to the shape of the Knuckle, where it would have cost £500 to problem. No more arduous drilling, be done fifteen times faster than by entrance to be repaired. An 18 foot the old conventional method. The enable the Knuckle on the Dock bolting and riveting, a fixing job can tool has been proved on various jobs, one in particular, in Hull Docks, now been produced to cope with this

stone and granite, etc., a tool has A Tornado Amphibious Cartridge Hammer www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

The range includes the simplest and most

This new conception in underwater breath-

Complete interchangeability of components

20

equipment has been developed by Normalair to enable divers to assemble aqualungs to their The entirely new range of underwater swimming own individual requirements by selection of component parts to suit personal preference.

devised, a variety of harness configurations and

ing equipment incorporates a mouthpiece and base of the throat; immediately over the is designed with the regulator positioned at the "centre of pressure" of the diver's lungs.

This positioning of the regulator completely which normally occur with regulators located

position.

within the range, and with equipment of other

variety of aqualung configurations to be assembled.

;::: the most important new item—a new and

;:;:: at a distance from this "centre of pressure" :•:•: manufacture Is provided for, enabling a wide •

F.•:. economically priced mouthpiece regulator yet

;•::: unique THROAT MOUNTED REGULATOR. • ;•:•:. eliminates the variations of breathing effort

•

LIMITED, INDUSTRIAL DIVISION, NORTH HYDE ROAD, HAYES, MIDDLESEX

A Member of the Westland Group of Companies

NEW

Concept in Scuba Equipment NORMALAIR

Or to MESSRS. E. T. SKINNER & COMPANY LIMITED.

2, LOCHALINE STREET, LONDON, W.6. Full details will gladly be provided on application, quoting reference U/5, to :-

(Sole agents for Normalair underwater swimming equipment in the U.K. and Eke.)

Diving conditions here are some- are here conditions Diving

Our jobs vary considerably. The The considerably. vary jobs Our

operations. The vincinity of the base base the of vincinity The operations.

being an ideal river for diving diving for river ideal an being

seems to be composed of liquid peat peat liquid of composed be to seems

what of a problem, the Foyle not not Foyle the problem, a of what

moorings, foul screws, obstruction obstruction screws, foul moorings,

Eire Harbour Authorities. Work for for Work Authorities. Harbour Eire clearing, lost articles and bodies. bodies. and articles lost clearing,

these people has ranged through through ranged has people these

keeping it free from mud ;,we do this this do ;,we mud from free it keeping hoses. Apart from the above we are are we above the from Apart hoses.

called upon sometimes by the R.U.C. R.U.C. the by sometimes upon called

Civil Authorities, Eire Police and and Police Eire Authorities, Civil

in Standard using high presske water water presske high using Standard in

marines, who seem to • save their their save • to seem who marines,

defects for Derry. The slip-way here here slip-way The Derry. for defects

in the yard provides a steady job job steady a provides yard the in

the Londonderry Flotilla and Sub- and Flotilla Londonderry the

main source of employment being being employment of source main

it — it is almost a pleasure to come come to pleasure a almost is it — it

to work. work. to

thing ourselves but it has been worth worth been has it but ourselves thing

23 23

I I

the Last Outpost Outpost Last the

pump, pump,

III III

We are housed in one large and and large one in housed are We

The diving boat is a 45' launch launch 45' a is boat diving The

benches, racks, kit lockers, etc. etc. lockers, kit racks, benches,

it now. We have had to do every- every- do to had have We now. it

don't think `Bungy' would recognise recognise would `Bungy' think don't

have installed the kitchen, work work kitchen, the installed have

usual ability of divers to 'borrow' we we 'borrow' to divers of ability usual

15 months ago the interiors of the the of interiors the ago months 15

is the office, heads and shower room. room. shower and heads office, the is

huts were almost bare, but with the' the' with but bare, almost were huts

built-in galley. Attached to the latter latter the to Attached galley. built-in

workshop and stowage for the diving diving the for stowage and workshop

American cousins departed. The The departed. cousins American with mess, the being other the gear,

larger hut is a very well equipped equipped well very a is hut larger

the compressor, Pattern Pattern compressor, the

one smaller Nissen hut left when our our when left hut Nissen smaller one engine space and dressing space. space. dressing and space engine

with a permanent canopy covering covering canopy permanent a with No. U.B.A. — it makes you think. think. you makes it — U.B.A. No.

discovered a frigate equipped with with equipped frigate a discovered

four in No. S.A.B.A. sets and one in in one and sets S.A.B.A. No. in four sets from visiting ships. Recently we we Recently ships. visiting from sets

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

Our equipment comprises of Stan- of comprises equipment Our

The Drafting authorities have have authorities Drafting The

The T6U has been demonstrated demonstrated been has T6U The

border' jobs. The wheels are begin- are wheels The jobs. border'

use mostly for inland and 'over the the 'over and inland for mostly use

ning to turn for us to be equipped equipped be to us for turn to ning

on most jobs) and U.B.A., which we we which U.B.A., and jobs) most on with this new gear called S.A.B.A. S.A.B.A. called gear new this with

Free DiVers in the near future and and future near the in DiVers Free

Just for exercise we sometimes borrow borrow sometimes we exercise for Just

we, also have divers in outlying billets billets outlying in divers have also we, occasion demand it. it. demand occasion

dard, Gas Mask (our main weapon weapon main (our Mask Gas dard, that we can call on should the the should on call can we that

minimum but we are expecting two two expecting are we but minimum

recently whittled us down to a bare bare a to down us whittled recently

Standard. Standard.

worth it. Graham also has recently recently has also Graham it. worth

was expensive to run, he was well well was he run, to expensive was

arrived and is fast becoming used to to used becoming fast is and arrived

were sorry to see him go although he he although go him see to sorry were

for a spell in the 'Far Flung'. We We Flung'. 'Far the in spell a for

the fasteners. It is literally an every- an literally is It fasteners. the

day tool, as is the Diver's knife. knife. Diver's the is as tool, day

cheaper in both the Hammer and and Hammer the both in cheaper

limitations, but can be used on nine nine on used be can but limitations,

out of every 10 fixing jobs and is far far is and jobs fixing 10 every of out

the Cox Bolt Gun which has it's it's has which Gun Bolt Cox the

T6U. It is not meant to supersede supersede to meant not is It T6U.

in the use and maintenance of the the of maintenance and use the in

demonstrations and training divers divers training and demonstrations

travelling the country giving practical practical giving country the travelling

the tool has its own diver who is is who diver own its has tool the

world. The company manufacturing manufacturing company The world.

Underwater Activities held in Nov- in held Activities Underwater

amongst the diving fraternity of the the of fraternity diving the amongst

created a great deal of interest interest of deal great a created ember last year in London where it it where London in year last ember

passed it suitable for underwater underwater for suitable it passed

show at the World Congress of of Congress World the at show

fixing and Salvage Companies have have Companies Salvage and fixing

shown interest in the tool. It was on on was It tool. the in interest shown

for Damage Control. Lloyds have have Lloyds Control. Damage for

to Admiralty, N.A.T.O. and Lloyds Lloyds and N.A.T.O. Admiralty, to

and is being used by the Dutch Navy Navy Dutch the by used being is and

time. time.

structors thousand of hours fixing fixing hours of thousand structors

22 22

Port Diving Unit, Londonderry Londonderry Unit, Diving Port

Lt. Davis, S.W.D.O. S.W.D.O. Davis, Lt.

A.B. J. Graham, S.W.D. S.W.D. Graham, J. A.B.

A.B. W. White, S.W.D. S.W.D. White, W. A.B.

C.P.O. 'J. Brown, Diver 1 1 Diver Brown, 'J. C.P.O.

Shpt. B. Robertson Art. Diver Diver Art. Robertson B. Shpt.

Editor has been dropping broad broad dropping been has Editor

HE new and extremely keen keen extremely and new HE

hints to me, such as,, 'We know know 'We as,, such me, to hints

Lt. Davis is a new arrival, having having arrival, new a is Davis Lt.

At present the team consists of:— of:— consists team the present At

inch, giving a shear or extraction extraction or shear a giving inch,

Three sizes of fixings can be put in in put be can fixings of sizes Three

relieved Lt. O'Brien who is heading heading is who O'Brien Lt. relieved

Diving and wish to remain so not not so remain to wish and Diving

that we are against progress — but but — progress against are we that

we are the last outpost of Standard Standard of outpost last the are we

before stemmed from the fact that that fact the from stemmed before

paper. The reluctance to do so so do to reluctance The paper.

It is two years since the last article article last the since years two is It

we do have our pride. pride. our have do we

appeared from Derry, so with a a with so Derry, from appeared

you exist so how's about an article?' article?' an about how's so exist you

stricken ,conscience I put pen to to pen put I ,conscience stricken

T

building industry saving the con- con- the saving industry building

part is in daily use throughout the the throughout use daily in is part

most building materials. Its counter- Its materials. building most

mentioned earlier it can be used on on used be can it earlier mentioned

in 1 inch Naval quality steel. As As steel. quality Naval inch 1 in

by the tool, I inch, 5/16th inch, and and inch, 5/16th inch, I tool, the by

strength of two, three and four tons tons four and three two, of strength

into operation. operation. into

before the trigger mechanism comes comes mechanism trigger the before since two pressures must be taken up up taken be must pressures two since

who who

BUSTER. BUSTER.

Admirals Admirals

Safeguard Safeguard

I'm away now to polish the brass brass the polish to now away I'm

Well that is a brief account of of account brief a is that Well

At Christmas we had our own own our had we Christmas At

We have just recovered from an an from recovered just have We

So there you are — we humbly humbly we — are you there So

When replacing the window the the window the replacing When

the best of luck to all. all. to luck of best the

work on a Standard helmet, wishing wishing helmet, Standard a on work

Derry Diving World which opegates opegates which World Diving Derry

very well without a single c.07 on on c.07 single a without well very

the staff — how do we manage? manage? we do how — staff the

these Irish folk. folk. Irish these

ment — extremely understanding understanding extremely — ment

firm being there to make money. We We money. make to there being firm

still on good terms with the manage- the with terms good on still

enjoyed an excellent evening and left, left, and evening excellent an enjoyed

masters would not free him from the the from him free not would masters `Divers Dinner' in the Northern Northern the in Dinner' `Divers

by Lt. Grace from from Grace Lt. by

obviously did not realise the extent extent the realise not did obviously evolutions passed us by without a a without by us passed evolutions to have attended but his civilian task task civilian his but attended have to

inspection by the Flag Officer of of Officer Flag the by inspection Counties Hotel. Bungy Edwards was was Edwards Bungy Hotel. Counties

included our departmental inspection inspection departmental our included task — must know we are good! good! are we know must — task

Scotland and Northern Ireland which which Ireland Northern and Scotland of our set-up here. here. set-up our of

shift work — some jazz about this this about jazz some — work shift

your 162's as frequently as we did. did. we as frequently as 162's your

that you do not have to swear at at swear to have not do you that

offer these suggestions in the hope hope the in suggestions these offer

hand. hand.

position the window correctly init- correctly window the position

ially, we made two extra long Y- long extra two made we ially,

being excellent for this purpose. To To purpose. this for excellent being it in place first. Contact adhesive adhesive Contact first. place in it

shaped screws that we could enter by by enter could we that screws shaped

holes in the rubber gasket with the the with gasket rubber the in holes

screw holes in the window is to glue glue to is window the in holes screw removal and also there would be be would there also and removal

only sure method of lining up all the the all up lining of method sure only the Allen key recess. recess. key Allen the

much less chance of the wood filling filling wood the of chance less much

grained, this would make for simpler simpler for make would this grained,

altered to dowels and so be cross- be so and dowels to altered

We recommend that if divers are to to are divers if that recommend We

continue doing this job the bungs are are bungs the job this doing continue

and five minutes to about 10 seconds. seconds. 10 about to minutes five and

tremely well, cutting the time of a a of time the cutting well, tremely

screw removal from between three three between from removal screw

Bucknell type) which worked ex- worked which type) Bucknell

25 25

provided us with with us provided

of the water was such such was water the of

,

Yarmouth Yarmouth

For the benefit of anyone else who who else anyone of benefit the For

Progress at first was painfully slow, slow, painfully was first at Progress

The 'window' is flush with the keel keel the with flush is 'window' The

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

a small pump screwdriver (Barry (Barry screwdriver pump small a Allen key alone, or even fitted with a a with fitted even or alone, key Allen

handle, is a very slow process. Our Our process. slow very a is handle,

replacement of the screws by an' an' by screws the of replacement

answer was to adapt the key to fit fit to key the adapt to was answer

small sharp pricker. Removal, or or Removal, pricker. sharp small

wood which can be removed by a a by removed be can which wood

leaves the Allen key housing full of of full housing key Allen the leaves

of removal is by drilling. This still still This drilling. by is removal of

grain, so the only practical method method practical only the so grain,

are a 'hammer home fit' and are end end are and fit' home 'hammer a are

has to tackle this job we pass on the the on pass we job this tackle to has

following information. The bungs bungs The information. following

on one tide. tide. one on

of the new window was completed completed was window new the of

remove the bungs and a further two two further a and bungs the remove

as we went along and the replacement replacement the and along went we as of gloves. We learned a few tricks tricks few a learned We gloves. of

temperature temperature

work ruled out the use of any form form any of use the out ruled work

tides to remove the screws. The The screws. the remove to tides

for each diver as the nature of the the of nature the as diver each for that a 30 minute spell was enough enough was spell minute 30 a that

water tightness the screws pass pass screws the tightness water it took a duration of five tides to to tides five of duration a took it

through a thin rubber gasket. gasket. rubber thin a through

depth by a Teak bung. To ensure ensure To bung. Teak a by depth

take an Allen key. The recess is 1 1 is recess The key. Allen an take inch deep and plugged to the full full the to plugged and deep inch

screws. the heads being recessed to to recessed being heads the screws.

reluctant to do so but decided that it it that decided but so do to reluctant

was worth a try. try. a worth was and held in place by 36 3/16 inch inch 3/16 36 by place in held and

tides and visability we were a little little a were we visability and tides

go' although the job was turned turned was job the although go'

down in Pompey. What with our our with What Pompey. in down

of her Type 162 sonar was cracked cracked was sonar 162 Type her of were most insistant on us 'having a a 'having us on insistant most were

and required a replacement. They They replacement. a required and

R.N. working hours causes a fair fair a causes hours working R.N.

The centre stay bright steel window window steel bright stay centre The

lengthy job. job. lengthy amount of overtime to be spent on a a on spent be to overtime of amount

resulting in nil visibility at all times. times. all at visibility nil in resulting

dive and only a slight improvement is is improvement slight a only and dive

a fiddling, but interesting job recently. recently. job interesting but fiddling, a

apparent on the flood tide. The The tide. flood the on apparent inability of this tide to coincide with with coincide to tide this of inability On the ebb tide it is impossible to to impossible is it tide ebb the On

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

Agents: Agents:

.••.11•411.1.11.11.06••••••••••••••••••••11...1111 .••.11•411.1.11.11.06••••••••••••••••••••11...1111

,

•

•

Sole Sole

••••••

0,

...

.

%

11

.

..

Cables: "Aquasport, Guiseley" Guiseley" "Aquasport, Cables:

...... i

reliable .... strong strong .... reliable

24 24

equipment from the the from equipment

advanced in design design in advanced

,-ttati...... 1....••••••.01..

Full details and illustrated brochures on all all on brochures illustrated and details Full

DRAGER DRAGER

DRAGER . . DRAGER

WHITE CROSS, GUISELEY, LEEDS, YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE LEEDS, GUISELEY, CROSS, WHITE

Telephone: Guiseley 2668 2668 Guiseley Telephone: A.M.S. MARINE SUPPLIES SUPPLIES MARINE A.M.S.

The foregoing installation is to be be to is installation foregoing The

All compartments are to be fitted fitted be to are compartments All

Charging and exhausting the ves- the exhausting and Charging

External lighting consisting of 75 75 of consisting lighting External

Filtration plant is being installed installed being is plant Filtration

cation passage direct to the chamber chamber the to direct passage cation

the building with a wide communi- wide a with building the

main entrance will be at the first floor floor first the at be will entrance main

level into the administrative end of of end administrative the into level

and air storage compartment. The The compartment. storage air and

diving store, plant room, boiler room room boiler room, plant store, diving

taining the usual 'offices', drying drying 'offices', usual the taining room, laboratory, ready use and main main and use ready laboratory, room,

housed in a two storey building con- building storey two a in housed

equipment he is using. using. is he equipment to a certain extent on the type of of type the on extent certain a to

the diver but his speech to the the to speech his but diver the

attendant and /or control will depend depend will control /or and attendant

will allow direct communication to to communication direct allow will

two-way communication with the the with communication two-way

Console. An U./W. loudspeaker unit unit loudspeaker U./W. An Console.

with transceiver units giving direct direct giving units transceiver with

Communications. Communications.

monitors and tape recorders. recorders. tape and monitors

munications, illumination control control illumination munications,

switches, closed circuit television television circuit closed switches,

devices, pressure recorders, com- recorders, pressure devices,

the necessary pressure and depth depth and pressure necessary the gauge, a rate of dive meter, timing timing meter, dive of rate a gauge,

console. The console also embodies embodies also console The console.

servo controls situated at the control control the at situated controls servo

sels will be achieved through air air through achieved be will sels

Control. Control.

to each vessel. vessel. each to

directly through ports, will be fitted fitted be will ports, through directly

watt internal reflector lamps, shining shining lamps, reflector internal watt

per metre. metre. per

Illumination. Illumination.

loss should be not more than 10% 10% than more not be should loss

to insure that the light transmission transmission light the that insure to

Water Clarity. Clarity. Water

vessel. vessel.

temperature economically, some 4" 4" some economically, temperature

of lagging is being applied to the the to applied being is lagging of

be raised from 30°F. to 80°F. which which 80°F. to 30°F. from raised be

ions. To achieve these differences of of differences these achieve To ions.

simulates Artic to Tropical condit- Tropical to Artic simulates

of water in the diving chamber can can chamber diving the in water of

27 27

picture). picture).

Chamber. Chamber.

The vessels are constructed of 2k" 2k" of constructed are vessels The

These are quick operating by by operating quick are These

Is fitted with bunks and seats and and seats and bunks with fitted Is

13ft. Long, 6ft. Diameter. Diameter. 6ft. Long, 13ft.

(Largest horizontal chamber in in chamber horizontal (Largest

Is fitted with air operated movable movable operated air with fitted Is

20ft. High, 10ft. Diameter. Diameter. 10ft. High, 20ft.

(Vertical in picture). picture). in (Vertical

plant being installed the temperature temperature the installed being plant

ft. With the cooling and heating heating and cooling the With ft.

lant to a depth a little in excess 1,100 1,100 excess in little a depth a to lant

working pressure of 500 p.s.i. equiva- p.s.i. 500 of pressure working

which is strong enough to allow a a allow to enough strong is which

special low temperature steel alloy alloy steel temperature low special

Operating Capabilities. Capabilities. Operating

before he operates it. it. operates he before

place the remote side of the door door the of side remote the place

trally mounted viewing port enables enables port viewing mounted trally

the operator to see what is taking taking is what see to operator the

mounted externally. A small cen- small A externally. mounted

unusual, inasmuch that apart from from apart that inasmuch unusual, the fact that the outer doors are are doors outer the that fact the

design, they can hold pressure either either pressure hold can they design,

what is believed to be their unique unique their be to believed is what

side and proof of this is contained in in contained is this of proof and side

means of moving one handle through through handle one moving of means

a short arc of travel. They are are They travel. of arc short a Doors. Doors.

have been made for internal heating. heating. internal for made been have

has a small handlock. Arrangements Arrangements handlock. small a has

Recompression Chamber. Chamber. Recompression

sited under the dome of the vessel. vessel. the of dome the under sited

for slinging equipment for test are are test for equipment slinging for

the top of the vessel and positions positions and vessel the of top the

ing heavy equipment is provided in in provided is equipment heavy ing

etc. A large eliptical hatch for load- for hatch eliptical large A etc.

A small handlock is fitted for passing passing for fitted is handlock small A graphy and closed circuit television. television. circuit closed and graphy

in medical requirements, refreshment, refreshment, requirements, medical in

viewing, external lighting, cinemato- lighting, external viewing,

up again. 11 ports are provided for for provided are ports 11 again. up

platform to take the diver down and and down diver the take to platform

Diving Diving

diving research:— research:— diving

will help you to assess its value to to value its assess to you help will

and the following specification data data specification following the and have been added to the installation installation the to added been have

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

pression chamber and two air locks locks air two and chamber pression

the basic requirements to get the best best the get to requirements basic the

out of it. In this case a large recom- large a case this In it. of out other things it requires more than than more requires it things other

basically what the vertical vessel in in vessel vertical the what basically

water. The diver is immersed in the the in immersed is diver The water.

the picture consists of. Like many many Like of. consists picture the the principle in its simplest form and and form simplest its in principle the

whatever depth is required within within required is depth whatever he has been given to do and air air and do to given been has he water to carry out whatever test work work test whatever out carry to water

pressure is admitted to the upper, upper, the to admitted is pressure

chamber approximately half full of of full half approximately chamber has an attendant with him who tends tends who him with attendant an has

safety limit of the vessel. The diver diver The vessel. the of limit safety dry half of the chamber, to simulate simulate to chamber, the of half dry his needs from a platform provided provided platform a from needs his

say that it is a vertical pressure pressure vertical a is it that say

just above the water level. This is is This level. water the above just

26 26

by "B.F." "B.F." by

and control panel. panel. control and

Installation Installation

The Wet and Dry Compression Compression Dry and Wet The

FTER some 10 years of patient patient of years 10 some FTER

development and determined ne- determined and development

gotiation the sorely needed re- needed sorely the gotiation

Cut away model of the two storey building showing verticle and horizontal chambers chambers horizontal and verticle showing building storey two the of model away Cut

For those readers who perhaps do do perhaps who readers those For

The administration of this new new this of administration The

A A

mental Diving Unit within the bound- the within Unit Diving mental

the Superintendant of Diving and and Diving of Superintendant the not know what a Wet and Dry Dry and Wet a what know not

Compression Chamber is I need only only need I is Chamber Compression the Superintendant of R.N.P.L. R.N.P.L. of Superintendant the

ogical Laboratory site. site. Laboratory ogical

facility will be undertaken jointly by by jointly undertaken be will facility for the Royal Navy is rapidly taking taking rapidly is Navy Royal the for Compression Chamber Installation Installation Chamber Compression erected for the Admiralty Experi- Admiralty the for erected

ary of the new Royal Naval Physiol- Naval Royal new the of ary shape at Stokes Bay. It is being being is It Bay. Stokes at shape

search set-up of a Wet and Dry Dry and Wet a of set-up search A -By courtesy of C. H. Iernard & Sons Ltd,

29.

girls, to star cpposite Marlon Bland° in 'Mutiny on the Bounty'.

STAR DISCOVERY sir M.G.M. — Tarita, who was selected from hundreds of Tahitian www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

MAC HARRY.

Lt. K. D. Kempsel, C.D.O. L./S. J. Harrison, C.D.2.

A./C.P.O. T. Norman, C.D.1 L./S. E. Welch, C.D.2.

L./S. F. Newman, C.D.3.

A./B. E. Cassidy, C.D.3.

NY diver in or around Fram-

lingham, Suffolk, are recom-

mended to visit the 'Crown and

It's funny how jobs snowball. We

`Crown and Anchor'

At the moment of writing the team

The team now consists of:

So, for now, from the land of och

the foregoing brief and somewhat mental subjects. completed, in the meantime I hope outfit will suffice to whet the appetites of all potential users and experi- sketchy discription of our research

went out one Friday in late April to

fix a 6" brick, as we thought, and six missles; we ended up with a 15"

practice projectile at Portsoy, and

44, 4" mortar bombs, mainly H.E. in Lunan Bay, Angus.

block ships sunk in the channel be-

are in the Orkneys once more. The

Graemsay. Using depth charges tween the islands of Hoy and

job is to blast a channel through some

from a pussers M.F.V. in a 8 knot tide can be tricky at times.

aye, guid hunting.

Anchor Inn' situated in Church Street. An old friend and ex-D.1, P.O. Ken Newson is now the

proprietor and would be very willing A

to yarn about diving over a glass of

liquid.

28

an

303 to Mk.

IsIgfbrd,

.

Scottish B. and M.D.

ELLO from the far flung out-

posts of the North. In response

to a plea from the Editor and a

It will be a few months yet before

The new year started slowly but

A trip to Barrow-in-Furness in

A flying visit by the Boss Chief

Then we had our Spring trip up to

room. Access for stores and equip-

ment will be provided at ground level

with an overhead loading rail to the

top of the diving chamber. the installation and * building is

H particularly significant letter pinned

on the notice board I decided to put pen to paper and let our southerly

brethren know we still exist.

up the usual crop of marine markers fectly. Mostly we have been picking after hogmanay that suited us per-

that are forever getting washed

mid-January to check on the under- ashore.

water seals of the Reserve Fleet up there, commanded by Lt.-Cdr. Gash,

C.D., did much to keep the diving

logs up to date.

plus a trip on B.E.A. and R.A.F. to

nice change. This was to deal with a Scallaway in the Shetlands, made a 5001b. main charge complete with

primer and detonator, both of which

Wick to dive on the S.S. were so covered in rust and sea virtually impossible. growth that to dismantle them was

M.D. operations. Due to the kelp Bay during a gale in World War II. As she was carrying from ammunition ship wrecked in Wick

in the area Spring is the best time 17s this is a good area for B. and

to go, even then, because it is a very

rocky coastline, with an ocean swell

running most of the time, it can only be dived on a very calm day with the

wind out of the West.

R.N. R.N.

Most individuals are buoyant en- buoyant are individuals Most

In fact, the escapee must remember remember must escapee the fact, In

Careful experiments using animals animals using experiments Careful

Not only must the man allow an an allow man the must only Not

would need to get rid of 18 litres of of litres 18 of rid get to need would

released. released.

to allow a free flow of air out of his his of out air of flow free a allow to

his lungs bursting as pressure was was pressure as bursting lungs his

gas (atmospheric pressure) to prevent prevent to pressure) (atmospheric gas

the expanding gasses. gasses. expanding the unrestricted flow of air from his air air his from air of flow unrestricted

which may seem an age in these cir- these in age an seem may which

ough to rise in the water without without water the in rise to ough

buoyancy, such as a life-jacket. life-jacket. a as such buoyancy,

be a reasonable period for trained trained for period reasonable a be

air passages since from 100 feet he he feet 100 from since passages air it requires confidence and training to to training and confidence requires it

dioxide would leave the lungs with with lungs the leave would dioxide

and many trials with a large number number large a with trials many and

Free and Buoyant Ascent Ascent Buoyant and Free

volumes, and oxygen and carbon carbon and oxygen and volumes, that the variation was from 2i to 6i 6i to 2i from was variation the that

accept the speed of 21- feet per second second per feet 21- of speed the accept

failure might be a disaster. disaster. a be might failure

from a great depth. For example a a example For depth. great a from to give a time of ascent of 25 seconds seconds 25 of ascent of time a give to assistance from a life jacket: however however jacket: life a from assistance

passages and be completely free from from free completely be and passages life and death on the surface whilst whilst surface the on death and life

would be more than enough lung gas gas lung enough than more be would

to have a faster rate of ascent and and ascent of rate faster a have to

men but it required some added added some required it but men

trouble but his life jacket must be be must jacket life his but trouble

fast rate if necessary. His life jacket jacket life His necessary. if rate fast

first chose a 4 foot per second target, target, second per foot 4 a chose first

could make the difference between between difference the make could

over 100 feet, but later it was found found was it later but feet, 100 over

awaiting pick-up, so that bursting or or bursting that so pick-up, awaiting 150 foot ascent would take 60 seconds seconds 60 take would ascent foot 150

designed to release pressure also at a a at also pressure release to designed

that this speed was an average and and average an was speed this that

feet per second. This was thought to to thought was This second. per feet cumstances. The Royal Navy wished wished Navy Royal The cumstances.

all lung weakness that could lead to to lead could that weakness lung all

31 31

WYNDHAM DAVIES, DAVIES, WYNDHAM

He He

Sea-Diver. Sea-Diver.

For the Amateur Diver Diver Amateur the For

SURGEON LT.-CDR. LT.-CDR. SURGEON

by by

Emergency Underwater Ascents Ascents Underwater Emergency

made an emergency ascent from from ascent emergency an made

In 1946 an Admiralty Committee Committee Admiralty an 1946 In

The possibilities of free ascent, as as ascent, free of possibilities The

IN 1851 a young corporal in the the in corporal young a 1851 IN

'Bavarian Light Horse Artillery Artillery Horse Light 'Bavarian

persuade his two companions with a a with companions two his persuade

vessel had foundered by flooding up up flooding by foundered had vessel

his pioneer submarine submarine pioneer his with water but he took four hours to to hours four took he but water with

apparatus and rose to the surface. surface. the to rose and apparatus from a 60 foot pot hole in which his his which in hole pot foot 60 a from

They were all virtually unscathed but but unscathed virtually all were They

disasters before their achievement of of achievement their before disasters

had calculated that he could escape escape could he that calculated had got out safely wearing no form of of form no wearing safely out got

near mutiny on his hands. All three three All hands. his on mutiny near

it took many subsequent submarine submarine subsequent many took it

surprising conclusion to some that that some to conclusion surprising was set up which examined reports of of reports examined which up set was

ially sanctioned. sanctioned. ially many men were saved from sunken sunken from saved were men many breathed at more than two atmos- two than more at breathed

escape without apparatus was offic- was apparatus without escape

apparatus of any kind, others who who others kind, any of apparatus submarine disasters, it came to the the to came it disasters, submarine

be about 600 feet. Contrary to to Contrary feet. 600 about be

are many other factors involved too, too, involved factors other many are had lost their lives. Of course, there there course, Of lives. their lost had

submarines who had worn no escape escape no worn had who submarines

pheres, the chilling effects of cold cold of effects chilling the pheres,

had worn the apparatus improperly improperly apparatus the worn had

desire to breathe over the period of of period the over breathe to desire

such as the toxic effects of oxygen oxygen of effects toxic the as such popular belief there would be no no be would there belief popular

theoretical limitations could be deter- be could limitations theoretical

water and the problems of finding the the finding of problems the and water

erned by the onset of the 'Narks' 'Narks' the of onset the by erned

night. night.

it came to be called, were carefully carefully were called, be to came it

mined. ...Maximum depth was gov- was depth ...Maximum mined.

(decompression sickness) and might might and sickness) (decompression

ascent to the surface since there there since surface the to ascent

(nitrogen narcosis) and the 'Bends' 'Bends' the and narcosis) (nitrogen

survivors in strong currents and at at and currents strong in survivors examined and it was found that the the that found was it and examined

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

30 30

to BERNARDS BERNARDS to

Poole, Lympstone and H.M.S. Dolphin Dolphin H.M.S. and Lympstone Poole,

Chatham, Devonport, Portland, Deal, Grimsby, Londonderry, Londonderry, Grimsby, Deal, Portland, Devonport, Chatham,

Naval and Civilian Tailors and Outfitters Outfitters and Tailors Civilian and Naval

Officers' Shops at Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton Southampton and Portsmouth Plymouth, at Shops Officers'

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

Head Office: ANGLIA HOUSE, HARWICH, ESSEX Telephone 2281 2281 Telephone ESSEX HARWICH, HOUSE, ANGLIA Office: Head

Lossiemouth, Arbroath, Abbotsinch, Brawdy, Culdrose, Yeovilton, Corsham, Corsham, Yeovilton, Culdrose, Brawdy, Abbotsinch, Arbroath, Lossiemouth,

Dunfermline, lnvergordon, Gibraltar, Valletta and Sliema, Malta and at at and Malta Sliema, and Valletta Gibraltar, lnvergordon, Dunfermline,

Branches at at Branches

C. H. BERNARD & SONS LTD1 LTD1 SONS & BERNARD H. C.

request. request.

details of the service will gladly be given on on given be gladly will service the of details

For a truly personal service and absolute absolute and service personal truly a For

open an account with BERNARDS, and full full and BERNARDS, with account an open

reliability at all times it will reward YOU to to YOU reward will it times all at reliability

out of touch. ' ' touch. of out

ensures that a BERNARD customer is never never is customer BERNARD a that ensures

to outlying ports at home and overseas overseas and home at ports outlying to

a Mail Order Department at Head Office and and Office Head at Department Order Mail a

frequent visits by experienced representatives representatives experienced by visits frequent

Twenty-six Branches at Home and Abroad, Abroad, and Home at Branches Twenty-six

obtained on a single account. account. single a on obtained

Serviceman and his family may be readily readily be may family his and Serviceman

which practically every requirement of the the of requirement every practically which

clothes and many other departments through through departments other many and clothes

Outfitting Service for Uniform and Civilian Civilian and Uniform for Service Outfitting

BERNARDS offer a first-class Tailoring and and Tailoring first-class a offer BERNARDS

is available to YOU. YOU. to available is

BERNARDS of Harwich has been a name synonymous with service service with synonymous name a been has Harwich of BERNARDS

to the Royal Navy for over 70 years and to-day all that experience experience that all to-day and years 70 over for Navy Royal the to Why YOU should allot allot should YOU Why www.mcdoa.org.uk understand that, in an ascent from foreign experience the chamber is of men were engaged in before the and must be completely fit, no age 100 feet to the surface in which the situated close to the top of the tank Navy was satisfied with the safety of limits are set. The exceptionally gas volumes expand as pressure is to prevent any delay. the technique which became known nervous may be given special atten- released, sooner or later the elastic Trouble may be denoted by sudden as `bouyant ascent'. It was decided tion, or rejected depending on the walls must burst if that pressure can unconsciousness or, less obviously, that practice must be given in this to trainer's customs. In the Royal Navy find no way out. This condition is by pain, breathing difficulties, with give confidence, and training not to during training ascents not only is a called a burst lung (or pulmonary maybe choking and coughing. Early hold the breath or alternatively full-time team of escape tank main- barotrauma). The position, however, signs of serious trouble may be breathe out to much. Experience tenance men required, but the naval is much more complicated than this. pallor, blurring or alterations in now exists of about 100,000 of these staff consists of three officers, one a The actual tissues of the lung re- sight, numbness or staggering. Per- ascents, and the hazards, with careful doctor, seven Chief Petty Officer semble the structure of a sponge, haps a tenth of the cases will have medical examination of trainees, instructors and eleven assistants. more than a balloon, through which small lung ruptures only, giving vigilant instructors in the water Instructors are stationed under the run dividing and sub-dividing effects depending on the part of the watching trainees all the way up and water at 20 feet intervals. branches of the air passages finally lung structure penetrated by the careful indoctrination are small. The trainee is pre-tested in a 'pot' ending in tiny clusters of air sacs (the compressed air. Nevertheless they are so serious when (a recompression chamber) to a alveoli). Here occurs the exchange of they occur that constant medical simulated 100 foot depth to see if his gases necessary in breathing, the up- Emergency Ascents in attendance is essential and there is ears will clear, he is then tested for take of oxygen and the giving off of Diving Activities an established emergency safety buoyancy to check on the approxi- carbon dioxide — the air meets the One of the potential dangers of routine. mate 5% of the population who are blood divided only by a fine structure self-contained underwater breathing of cells. Should local pressures of Buoyant Ascent Training Techniuqe negatively buoyant, i.e. who tend to apparatus is that there may be a sink rather than float in fresh water gas build up without release or, failure of air underwater. Properly The trainees are given a careful (although many of these might be where there is only partial release, serviced good commercial equipment chest X-ray and medical examination buoyant in salt water). They are then the gas bursts through to the blood should not fail in use and instances sent off individually from gradually with the disastrous effects of an air of it doing so are extremely rare. If increasing depths under careful super- embolism. the demand valve were to fail, how- vision and checked again on leaving Despite careful training and ever, the effects are likely to be the water. One on point there is still searching medical examinations, sudden. Then, it is possible to some controversy: is it as easy and every so often this trouble will occur, visualise situations where a diver safe a technique in the dark or with although not frequently. In a recent runs out of air at depth unexpectedly the eyes closed? Some say not. What survey made by Hume Wallace of the and he may have pulled his reserve is certain is that underwater con- British Sub-Aqua club from Kingston and found it empty. Calmly and fidence is built up in those previously Branch experience, he reckoned that rationally he should rise several feet inexperienced in this, from which it at least 15,000 rapid ascents from when he may be able to breathe again can be argued that trained under- depths between 10 and over 100 feet or failing that, if the stoppage was water swimmers would be at an have been made without any in- complete he would need to consider advantage in practicing these ascents. cidents. However, when trouble does a safe ascent technique. Submarine Unfortunately, however, the serious occur, and it is universal experience escape techniques of free ascent accidents that do occur are no re- that there may be no indications that would then seem ideally suited to the spector of persons who seem to be fit an abnormal ascent has been made, situation and the B.S.A.C. have made and understand the technique and it is disastrous and usually rapidly this part of their training. there is no warning of impending fatal unless there is urgent recom- If the technique was completely disaster on the ascent. pression in a 'pot' and medical aid. safe all parties would be agreed that In some 90,000 recent ascents some Where the condition caused is a this was something to be practised so 40 men have required special treat- serious air embolism death follows that if and when the emergency ment, but this excludes all the safe rapidly with any delay in treatment. occurred responses would be more ascents carried out by instructors Abroad two men died in the lift automatic. Wise counsel in trained who use the free ascent technique journey. from the escape training circles recommended that this tech- whilst supervising training. tank surface to the recompression nique should be known but not chamber on the ground floor before practiced and only one body in the Medical Hazards of the Ascent a chamber was installed at the tank world has established the technique Tank at H.M.S. 'Dolphin' where free If you imagine the lungs to be full top. In the. Royal Navy, due to the as one to be practiced by amateur ascent training is carried out balloons it should be fairly easy to www.mcdoa.org.uk 33 32 www.mcdoa.org.uk divers who had no easy access to they feel they want to. medical treatment facilities; this was However, it seems much more COOPERSTYLE CLOTHING the National Diving Committee of likely that the sum total of ascents the British Sub-Aqua Club. Ascents for all uniform or civilian wear, tailored by British craftsmen made from any depth by B.A.S.C. were described as Tree% where a divers is too small to be comparabe from finest British materials. Throughout your career in the man had no form of underwater with escape training experience. Al- Royal Navy COOPER's of HARWICH can give you a personal breathing apparatus and had jetti- though accidents are, at present, un- service second to none, both at home and abroad and, if it is soned his weight belt, 'Assisted', known, statistics can be no real guide when another diver was present to since chances are fickle and as we a matter of gifts for young or old, you can always rely on share his air, and 'emergency', where COOPER'S DIRECT DESPATCH SERVICE. to our cost with, say, car tyre know he dumped his weights immediately, punctures that all may be well for a Remember.! One allotment to COOPER's will cover ALL your exhaled hard and finned rapidly up- long time then several come in quick requirements. wards. As no accidents had been in succession. B.A.S.C. practice from their ex- Write now for our illustrated brochure to— perience, it has been suggested that What started out as polite concern this could be due to three possibilities, for diver's welfare by medical diving W. COOPER (Harwich) LTD. difference in speed — since divers experts became of much more urgent would be ascending more slowly as concern when it was reported that a CENTRAL HALL, MAIN ROAD, HARWICH, ESSEX they would not use life-jackets to serious accident had occurred to an Telephone: Harwich 347 assist their ascent, difference in experienced overseas naval diver Branches at: Chatham, Devonport, Dovercourt, Dunfermline, Eastney, training — divers in regular training practicing free ascent technique's. Exmouth, Helston, Portland, Portsmouth, Malta & Gibraltar adapting automatically to pressure A search was made for further reports changes, difference in attitude — and it was found that other instances Members of the Interport Naval Traders' Association divers seldom tackling free ascent till existed of deaths or serious illness

Treatment of the air embolism case in emergency where no immediate recompression BRICKWOODS is available. Note the body postition, oxygen is being administered. 34 www.mcdoa.org.uk 35 Winston

reported being snared to

among others.

cur in experienced healthy divers

buoyant ascents. in relatively shallow free or

urgent treatment by recom- pression with expert medical aid. the relatively serious possibilities save life by rapid diagnosis and trauma against the practicing of of death from pulmonary baro- free ascents, and whether equally

good results can be obtained from careful training to prevent the necessity for free ascent, or instruction. failing that, careful theoretical

This operation though superbly

Diving-wise, We had a very arduous

not been hitherto published. He made a shallow free ascent, felt ill,

collapsed, and was taken to hospital. I. Pulmonary barotrauma may oc- bolism which was the hospital diag- The account is now somewhat resemble those of a minor air em- clouded by time but the circumstances nosis. Perhaps there are more similar

experiences that can be described.

Conclusions

2. Wide recognition of this may 3 Training bodies must weigh up

Winston

work for their passage. Naturally

hostilities commenced. 'Results, not

heavy losses, e.g. barometers, logs, was attacked by divers, and reported Q.M. Also, left behind, a broken-hearted excuses' were ordered. Thus, and 1st Lieutenants shattered pride.

Best suits were worn by many that morn. M.T.G. were realised at last. executed, caused quite a scandal.

exercise during the course of which the predictions of many divers ,about

37

Work hard — Play harder'.

Bienchley

H.M.S. 'Brenchley'

Motto :—`

has not appeared in

Pedro and George,

After a quick docking,

Brench

NEWS FLASHES

S the the Magazine for some time, we

will now have a go — Viz.

"Eighteen hours after hospital

So much for the theories that good

When talking about this whole

second and third left intercostal spaces beside the sternum and to a

lesser extent on the right side of the relationship to the cardiac rhythm sternum. The crepitations had no

and were best heard on deep respir- atory movement, but were heard only was limp and flaccid. Morphine was

for a short period. The right arm administered and the patient went to

mortem was found to be perfectly

sleep. admission he died and on post- healthy apart from lung rupture and heart." health, experience and shallow water been saved in a recompression will prevent tragedy. He might have air embolisms which had affected the had the nature of the problem been chamber had this been available and more widely recognized at the time.

problem to diving officers of the

British Sub-Aqua Club I was told by

one of his own experience which had

`Branch Editors' suffering from some

A sore heads of unusual sources. which in the reports was almost

Port Edgar. F. Dickens, at a typical bered. at Rosyth, we had our inspection, faultless. Lt. Lovell-Smith handed barrel) to our new Captain, Lt. M. over the Boat, lock, stock (negative

social, which was one to be remem-

Invergordon. . after taking passage in H.M.S. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

120 per

was

"Within an hour the parents of the "Three hours after the accident the

Normal respiratory rhythm was

minute, and the blood pressure was mittently for about 20 minutes. patient, the pulse rate became comatose, responding only minutes, after which apparent rapid patient vomited once and then felt by breathing. He said also that he heart sounds were clear, and super- 80 millimetres of mercury, systolic, much improved. At this stage there hospital at 9.30 p.m. seven hours end of this period the patient was pulse rate was 80 per minute. He was taken to his home and placed ficial crepitations were heard in the condition lasted for only about ten reported immediately. boy became alarmed about his and 60 millimetres, diastolic; the still in a state of severe shock and to painful stimuli. However, this paraesthesia in the right arm and was no evidence of shock, and the in bed, and instructions were left that of discomfort all over the front of established after 30 minutes. At the improvement occurred. One hour bit did not vomit, and he experienced his chest, and this was made worse felt nauseated and that his right arm was considerable general improve- ment in his condition. There was no power being present at the wrist and any untoward symptoms were to be condition and he was admitted to felt numb. On examination of the after the onset of symptoms there the abductors of the limb, good admission to hospital he complained volume. The patient felt nauseated, cyanosis, though pallor was still had disappeared and the pulse was palpable at the wrist, having a rate hand. The weakness was mainly in some loss of power together with after the onset of symptoms. On his in the hand. apparent; respiratory embarrassment

of 86 per minute, but it was of poor

36

`The radial pulse was not palpable,

"The patient was placed in a

breathing in both inspiratory and minutes of coming to the surface he rapidly deepened, and the breathing Harveyson and Hirschfield described ing in sheltered water 20 feet deep, pletely exhausted and semi-comatose. became irregular and shallow and but the femoral pulse was strong, Within about ten minutes there was from this technique. For example peripheral massage was carried out. irregular and had to be assisted inter- There was generalized cyanosis which with a rate of 120 per minute, and movement on inspiration, and the with it. His actions were observed by healthy man, aged 18 years, was div- had made numerous previous dives occipital headache. Within several was regular in rate and rhythm. The face, though the breathing was still with the use of the apparatus and expiratory phases, and this was was assisted from the water, com- notable absence of intercostal muscle a fairly rapid return of colour to the this depth. He was quite conversant Suddenly he experienced difficulty in plied and artificial respiration was from Brisbane, Australia, Drs. and at the time was undergoing a two examiners stationed underwater from a Davis escape apparatus, and a well-documented account — 'A carded and a free ascent made from test in which the 'aqualung' was dis- immediately complained of feeling accompanied by limb pains an and soon passed into a phase of apnoea. the eyes were rolling. There was a administered, together with oxygen the surface he clung to a buoy, weak and nauseated, and vomited. extremities were cold and beads of of the facial muscles occurred, and head-low position, warmth was ap- Several minor convulsive movements at a depth of 20 feet. 'On reaching sweat were noted on the forehead. airway was clear throughout.

1

;

look after

20', abun-

Vernon,

Our only run•ashore in

is a tin-head on here,

spirits (Vodka being the trend).

Who loves to pound our ear, Everywhere under the sun. About the deeds he's' done, There Now he's got the job of I stroke C He take's the boat out to sea, Once at sea he's never seen Poor George is down below . . . Pale Green.

Interest Note:—Viz.:

To the lads in

P.O. Rose, C.D.1 S.-Lt. Parks, C.D.O. L./S. Brown, C.D.2

A./B. Williams, C.D.2. A./B. Jordan, C,D.3 A./B. Chapman, C.D.3 A./B. Longth.orne, C.D.3 A./B. McEvby, C.D.3 A./B. Pitt, C.D.3.

The last five are C.D.3's only

beer and other prizes which reside in the deep.

dance of crab. Portsmouth. civilisation. To the dismay of our cowboys we found the Ponderosa brass, resounding spittonS. with a new face, no longer the old,

our old 'Buster Brown', and see that P.S.—The team remains in good he wants not whilst in Haslar.

"Ode to a Diver"

1st Mine-Hunting Team

because there aren't any C.D. 4's

any more.

think a train departs at about the time you would like to leave, an you. This feeling seems to follow, you impression of dismal disuse greets on your maze-like way to the office uncomfortable position, at the win

so that when you crouch down in an

39

and

Dodgers

Dingley.

When this Train Trivia

•

Dingley

false, but only too

Brench., Brinks.

Early that morning the

'Save your money for

one morning decided (to

were at one stage like

Our divers did a survey of

facilities.

Sports Day, so we had to lag

CCASIONALLY the time comes when one decides to travel by train.

We hear that shortly many of the

12. We duly collected' our nutty,

Brinkley,

-

On arriving at the station possibly

Dingley

Inverness. sardines at this place, this would

seem that the runs were unified, but alas hopes of this continuing were coach-trip all of our `cried off'. Poor show shattered when on an organised Loch Ness. monster was sighted. We closed and did battle. We are now alright for bathing, fresh meat, and Loch Ness offers safe lochs are to be mechanised. This will remove one of Jacks chief sources of

the swings, one loses on the round-a- bouts. Oban. amusement, or, what one gains on the harbour bottom. Bruce reported that it was the foulest bottom he has ever seen. It just so happens that he was in the towns sewer outfall area. Scallops? mm mmm mmmm!

Diver McEvoy. As this is his home Ardrossan. Ardrossan' announced with gusto town, he, if anyone should know,

his words were not true. Thanks Mac, it was a good run. our disgust) to play games as this was their Robinson design, with bars of nutty along and play hide and seek on the sea-bed with some markers of Heath-

and beer for prizes. Result, 12 out of O happens to me I resign myself to a time of miserable harsdhip. on the off-chance or- because you www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

1!

00

4

/

CHI

38

branches of underwater operations.

Dunlop have for many years produced various types of underwater equipment in the design and development of for the Admiralty, playing a leading part apparatus for different specialized

DUNLOP

Dunlop Aviation Division of Coventry. SABA ($wimmer's Air Breath- The, suit is manufactured by Division of Manchester, and knitted nylon, and is using Dunlop General Rubber Goods from rubber-proofed crimped water Swimmer's Dress made ing Apparatus). the breathing equipment by The diver is wearing an Under- MAC HARRY

difference ?

a tree, what's the

Your destination approaches and

A replica of the porter from the

The moral of the story, if in fact

you go thiough various contortions to get into your coat and to take the case from the rack, through the door by an anticlimax. The train stops platform at last — on the wrong side, waits. But finally the train, with many a jerk and hiss, pulls into the and into the corridor only to be met outside the station and waits and told you it was that side gets his feet

and the well meaning person who through to get out. trodden on as you angrily push weekend case and with a great sigh at you. 'Porter', you say, and he with back in the taxi, ignoring the look of station where you started out looks disappearing taxi rank. You settle slowly makes his way to the rapidly a condescending look takes your malice flashed at you by the porter for the smallness of the tip, and that you will soon be in. think gladly of the hotel and the bath there is a moral, is this. If trains

affect you like this then buy a car. See you at the car sales.

- 41

0

This journey back can be easy if

very assured waiter, rocing backk After a tedious wait the drink arrives and forth as though he were at sea. reassured, you think, by looking at the high price of it, but no, and the on the excellence of the meal is

immediate reaction is, that dieting has been enforced, or maybe he has given you the meal asked for by the little old lady across the aisle, but to your seat as hungry as ,ever, with the train is at a station, or fraught being knocked from side to side in this is not so. You rise and go back only a sadly depleted wallet to tell with danger, if it is moving. After you that you had eaten at all. the corridor and knocking your shins on cases left there, being trapped in a

spring-loaded door in an icy blast deposited into a lovely young ladies from an open window, or being lap, who, as you scramble wildly to your feet with apoligies pouring from your mouth and at the same time vacant seat next to her, just smiles at wonder why you didn't get that .— with the soup. A passing thought you, you finally make it to your own compartment, then once more the tirade starts. 'Tickets .Please', etc.

;

Whassat ! a moving tree? Ah ! a disguised diver. Well, if he thinks he's Ah ! that's better. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

Having obtained a seat this is the

Ah, now maybe a smoke and a

Now on to the dining car, a seat

with the full ashtrays and motley

collection of rubbish on the floor does not raise the prestige of the railways in your eyes. time to settle in, so, up on the rack with your suitcase, only to have it fall back into your lap due to the rack being to small and the train having jerked just then. Having restowed the case, during which time the feet of the other people in the compartment have suffered, that seat looks like an armchair. But you soon but that it must have been designed find out that this is not only untrue by a medieval torturer. read, but no, a light tap on the knee and you turn to face a little old lady in a flowered hat who nervously clutches a piece of knitting in an Well, a read, then the door. arthritic hand whilst lightly tapping to the world, 'NO SMOKING'. with the other a notice, that shouts `TICKETS PLEASE', a gruff voice `Take your seats for first dinner. calls; you think that this cannot go on for much longer, surely, but it can. Anyone for coffee, buffet is open for whilst I go out'. It's too much, so in snacks', followed by — 'excuse me full retreat you stalk away to have dinner. First a wash, after a wait for the toilet to be vacated. The hot water is scalding and the cold

freezing, finally you have some water then you bend over to wash your the mirror and also nearly submerges in the bowl and wash your hands, face but a jerk bangs your head into you at the same time. By this time you are overcome by exhaustion paper towel, that either falls apart in your hands or rasps against your skin that the minor worries of drying on a using a handkerchief. like a file, are soon overcome by is soon found and the menu taken up,

first a drink. 'Certainly Sir', says the

40

Freeing yourself from this and

After this big step has been taken,

Nett result up to now an exhaust-

Seating is now a problem to be

dow and ask for your ticket in a throws it at you, demanding a huge nervous voice, the glaring official with a pale face and bi-focals, who surly sum of money, looks almost like an apparition. On asking if there is any cheaper way, he glibly lets mysterious words like weekends, excursions, workmans, etc. roll from his wet lips without explanation. you wonder whether you will have The price of your ticket and various slowly walking away in a slight daze, enough money left to enjoy yourself. other incidentals gloomily rise in your thoughts at least once an hour on the trip. the time the train leaves once more comes to the fore and so away to the enquiry office you go, this can be puts you off using trains forever.

such a harrowing experience that it The result of the visit is a frantic dash to the far side of the station where you are casually informed, by

an old man with bleary eyes and a cigarette end, that threatens to set light to a tobacco stained moustache this is the wrong platform, and the topped by a dew-dropped nose, that train you want leaves from the other is needed to jump on the train as the guard blows his whistle in your ear. side of the station; so another dash ing run that could have been avoided week in a bath won't remove the soot and an uncomfortable feeling that a sweat oozing out of every pore. booking a seat, but as you came on and grime ingrained in the skin that overcome. This can easily be fixed by buying your ticket days early and Now if, and sometimes it's a big if, the off-chance this does not arise.

you manage to get a seat, you try to imagine what the bill for cleaning will be at journeys end, this coupled www.mcdoa.org.uk The Anglo-French Sink-Rate Trials - 1962 by J. S. P. RAWLINS, SURGEON COMMANDER, R.N.

INCE 1956 the R.A.F. Institute and repair of the aircraft would be CONROY LEWIS LTD of Aviation Medicine, assisted by carried out by the two aircraft firms srelays of Clearance divers, has concerned, Dassault and Vickers, been working on problems of escape with facilities provided by the French SURVEYS CRAFT from submerged aircraft. This work helicopter base at St. Mandrier. AVAILABLE is now approaching its conclusion Diving would be co-ordinated by the CUTTING with the design of automatic under- G.E.R.S. from the vessel Eli Monnier. FITTED WITH water escape systems for each of the BLASTING current types of Naval aircraft. Photography RADAR, There were three, main photo- WELDING These systems will enable aircrew, ECHO SOUNDING even if they are injured or uncon- graphic requirements: ' scious, to be ejected from the air- (1) An accurate record of the path CONSTRUCTION COMPRESSORS craft, brought to the surface and of the sinking aircraft supported there until they can be DEMOLITION ETC. picked up. (2) A high-speed record of the collapse of the canopy (im- MAINTENANCE 24 HR. SERVICE An essential requirement for the plosion) design of such a system is an apprec- iation of the behaviour of an aircraft (3) A general record of each test after it has entered the water — the by surface and 'underwater time for which it is likely to float, the cameras, to include material rate and manner of its sinking and suitablefor a documentary film. DIVING CONTRACTORS the rate at which pressure builds up According to information supplied across the cockpit canopy, ultimately by the G.E.R.S., 120. feet visibility causing it to collapse. could be expected, and as the depth WORK CARRIED OUT IN The French Navy are equally • of water . at the trial site was .only interested in underwater escape and 100 feet it was thought feasible to trials with their Etendard IV strike " record the path of the aircraft .by ANY PART OF THE WORLD aircraft were carried out at Glen cameras mounted on the sea-bed. Fruin in 1961. They immediately The position of each camera and its TELEPHONES appreciated the importance of sink- angle of inclination would be accur- rate and offered to set up a trial pro ately known and they would all be OFFICE WORKS NIGHT gramme in which the British were run at the same speed, eight pictures per second, a common time base 28106 56578 invited to participate. This invitation 49056 was readily accepted. being supplied to each camera elec- trically. CABLES Broadly the plan was to drop two aircraft, a French Etendard and a Flares would be mounted on the ROYLEWSALV British Scimitar, into the, sea off wingtips and tail of the aircraft and with an image of the flares on any SOUTHAMPTON Toulon in various attitudes and at various all-up weights and to record two cameras at the same time the their behaviour by instrumentation geographical position of the aircraft and cine photography. The French at that moment could be accurately 15, 16 & 17 ST. MARY'S STREET would be responsible for the instrum- plotted. entation and the British for the The camera elected for this task SOUTHAMPTON photography. A 100-ton floating were Eclair Cameflexes which were crane would be procured to carry out mounted together with their motors recovery of the aircraft after each and power supply in watertight alloy drop and preparation, maintenance cases fitted with 3i" Ivarioff pre- 42 www.mcdoa.org.uk 43 The Scimitar is a very much larger

hook while another pair handled the diver could train the camera on the the position of the hook and slings slings. The crane driver could watch klaxon operated by a push button on visibility this seemed an ideal arrange- was correspondingly greater. The preferred their own technique of point by recovering the aircraft with margin of safety and it was clearly and the divers' signals, and any divers via the Aquavox. In good ment but in fact the G.E.R.S. divers the end of a cable, and proved their aircraft and the problem of recovery instructions could be passed to the lifting slings did not afford much possible out of the fuselage before signalling to the crane driver by a The aircraft cockpit had been modi- fied by cutting a 10" circular hole in the cockpit wall and fitting an alu- a single 20 minute dive. essential to drain as much water as attempting to lift it clear of the water.

45

Scimitar, immediately after drop.

Nylon slings were

Recovery was performed by Lt.

However, the main interest as

The hook of this crane was im-

regards this aircraft lay in establish-

ing test techniques, and much valu- lent photographs of the damaged position for the recovery. movement. Aquavox equipment had therefore been borrowed from the Besse, Captain of the Eli Monnier, placed around the fuselage fore and problem if there was any surface mixture sets. water and attached via a nylon strap that hooking-on would be a real aircraft on the sea-bed were obtained, after which a small marker buoy was mense and it had been anticipated able information was gained. Excel- attached and the crane moved into and one of his team using C.D.55 J.S.A.W.C. and the French had

aft, the crane hook lowered into the prepared a T.V. camera in a water- and the lift made. tight case, the idea being that one www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

cine camera (up to 1,000 f.p.s.)

I. and R. Department of the R.A.E.

Before the main party arrived in

I.A.M. and Human Engineering tight housings were mounted in the

cockpit. being operated by R.N. officers from

Dumas. were in charge of the photography, the hand-held underwater cameras Division of the R.A.E. with the expert guidance and assistance of Frederic

France the mooring buoys had been

Progress of the Trials R.A.E./Photosonics high-speed underwater

laid by the G.E.R.S. enabling the floating crane to position itself with positioned by the G.E.R.S. and the the sea-bed cameras were accurately iately after arrival of the British party not an unqualified success, for after been very heavily reinforced with on 6th July. From the point of view an accuracy of + 1 metre. Immed- mounted beneath the skin of the of determining the underwater be- not before there had been consider- first drop of the Etendard was made inflate properly. haviour of the aircraft the test was floating for 2 minutes the aircraft fuselage and designed to inflate auto- matically at 60 feet and slow down the descent of the aircraft failed to

able crushing of the cockpit. The sank tail first, the canopy, which had flares failed to ignite and a lifting bag, fibreglass, imploding at 40 feet, but

44

Hand-held cameras, operated by

No underwater cameras were avail-

For recording the canopy im-

objectives, in order to take advantage Royal Aircraft Establishment, in

of the full field of view of the cameras' wide angle lenses without lateral which were designed by Instrument heavy bases so that they could be ometer. changes in attitude of the sinking chromatic aberration. These cases, and Ranges Department of the were mounted on trunnions from accurately aligned with an inclin- cameras by giving some indication of Admiralty Materials Laboratory, divers, were also required, both to adjunct to the position plotting collaboration with Dick Tuson of the of its final position on the sea-bed record any occurrence (such as crushing of compartments) on the time to cope with a complete test, sinking aircraft, to provide a record and of its condition, and as an These were mounted in cylindrical able which would run for sufficient have a speed range up to 100 pictures per second, were the final selection. Telford scientific cameras, which aircraft. and again it was necessary to select perspex cases, also fitted with Ivanoff a camera and design a case. 16mm. pre-objectives, with a 200 foot maga-

ation two 350 watt lamps in water-

pack. A flashing red light indicated zine fitted in the long axis of the camera and a rechargeable power ran at 600 p.p.s. and provision was main instrument container shortly plosion a high-speed 16mm. photo- before implosion was anticipated. A

that film was passing through the gate. made for starting it by a 'make' from the differential pressure unit in the low-speed camera was mounted on the starboard wing and for illumin-

sorties camera was mounted in an identical case on the port wing. This 100 ft. after the

at

The aircraft struck the sea

by Lt.-Cdr. Riddell.

On 10th August the implosion test On 16th August the Scimitar, fitted

phof camera, F.P.3 film and natural light

Scimitar on the bottom

H.M.S. 'Centaur') Photo by 'Calypso-

last test (catapulted from the deck of

plete success was achieved, the seat

12 feet depth and the dummy Centaur. cockpit and with the Martin Baker Automatic Escape System. Com- to the surface. Good film coverage System, was catapulted into the sea with a tremendous splash, floated for ejecting through the canopy at about was obtained. was carried out and the technique for from the flight deck of H.M.S. again but with a dummy pilot in the the Martin Baker Automatic Escape 20 seconds and disappeared. In- separating from the seat and coming films were obtained. once more with a dummy pilot and despite estensive damage to the starting the high-speed camera proved successful and again remarkable spection on the bottom showed that

47

On lifting the aircraft this orifice For this purpose special keys were

In the event this precaution proved

On the third Scimitar drop on 1st

While the trial continued with

minium bursting disc, the idea being

to prevent implosion of the cockpit rapidly to zero. imploding at about 10 p.s.i., after which the differential pressure fell due to differential pressure. This necessary to open all flaps and panes

effectively aided drainage of the cockpit, but water was also trapped made, one for each diver, and hand- that it was safer to get under the elsewhere in the fuselage and it was on the underside of the aircraft. scheme worked perfectly, the disc the surface, but the I.A.M. team felt bottom and accept the small chance the fuselage. It had been suggested when the aircraft was just beneath that these panels should be opened holds of asbestos tape were fixed to of the undercarriage collapsing than to trust to the slings. well-founded because no difficulty was experienced in opening the panels on the bottom, whereas just first test the, slings parted and the

August, 45° nose dowri with the aircraft when it was resting on the aircraft dropped to the bottom! as the aircraft broke surface on the neath the surface and the aircraft then reappeared in a level attitude It was quite impossible for the divers canopy off, the nose plunged be- but with the nose section completely found the aircraft resting in its wheels to keep up with the aircraft at this rate and on arrival at the bottom they

and floated for 40 seconds. It then sank rapidly in a nose down attitude crumpled. August the Scimitar was dropped striking the bottom at an agle of 50°. further drops of the Etendard the indefatigable Vickers team rebuilt the nose from scrap and on 8th www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

r

4

throughout the world

555 Filter Kings are available hi

more than 800 leading cities and towns

The King Size Cigarette

of International Success www.mcdoa.org.uk cockpit, which had broken off for- We all wore wet suits and used, pany even better. The French socially. ward of the engine intakes, the seat for preference, 3-bottle Mistral sets. scientific team from Bretigny, (the And we were immensely impressed had operated and the dummy pilot These were most convenient, each French equivalent of Farnborough), with the G.E.R.S. (Groupe des Etudes had separated from the seat, but person being issued with a small box were first class, professionally and et Resciches Sous-marins). owing to damage to his equipment containing mask, knife, weight belt he was negatively buoyant and did and demand-valve and tubes. This not surface. However, in the cir- we were responsible for throughout cumstances it was considered that the trial and simply took any set of `Deepwater' Sports Report the system had functioned remark- bottles that happened to be full. A ably well. portable compressor on deck was N rejoining the Diving Sectioh 220 Yards Hurdles— kept busy all day recharging bottles. in April, I was very soon en- A.B. Barker, C.D.Star 'Q' Diving Considerations trusted with the task of Sports Javelin— The trial as a whole was very On some days when aircraft repair Officer. With the full co-operation N.A. Murrell, F.D. (S.A.R.) successful and will be the subject of a work precluded tests, we visited some of the Diving Training Officer and Long Jump— detailed report. attractive spots with the Eli Monnier numerous others, Deepwater's sports Lt. Lafferty, C.D.O. 'Q' and dived to 120 feet or more in ideal teams have as always, sallied forth 440 Yards— From the diving point of view conditions. On these occasions we to take on all corners. A.B. Brushneen, S.W.D. there were many points of interests. were accompanied by Dumas and Much experience of underwater During the past six months, Deep- The 'Victor Ludorum' Trophy for did decompression stops under his water has taken part in the Soccer, the best all-round performance was photography was gained and the supervision on the anchor chain. We hand-held cameras were found to be Volley Ball and Deck Hockey leagues. won by Lt. Lafferty with a total of experienced no diving troubles of Due to the spell of bad weather at 19 points our of a possible 24. very easy to handle and very suitable any sort during the trials. for the task. Their bulk kept them the beginning of the year, the Soccer Tug-of-War : steady in the water and the five Other Considerations and Deck Hockey leagues were not The Trophy was retained by completed. In the Volley Ball we Deepwater and very rightly so, for minutes running time at 24 p.p.s. This account would not be com- provided by the batteries was en- finished runners-up to the Ordnance the team really got down to it and plete without some reference to Division. tirely adequate. recreational activities. Diving was The sea-bed cameras were tech- Our brightest moments have been our work and our play and there the Athletics, Tug-of-War and Aqua- nically satisfactory but unfortunately were few days when diving of some we had been misinformed about the tic competitions and a run down on sort did not take place. We also each is given below:— visibility and it never approached 120 further depleted the littoral zone of feet. As a result insufficient records its stock of fish, although spear Athletics: were obtained and the method of fishing is not what it was in the This proved to be a very fine win sea-bed plotting was abandoned. Toulon area. for Deepwater, for around a few very Visibility varied a great deal. The good athletes, was mustered a team We initiated I. and R. Department of many triers. Final positions were: Mistral blew for days on end at up to into the diving business and record 30 knots and it was impossible to man- 1st. Deepwater .. 113 points with some awe that four of them have 2nd. Ordnance .. 104 points oeuvre the crane if there were more just completed a course with flying than 10 knots of wind. After the 3rd. Willis .. 56 points colours at Dartmouth in this worst of 4th. Walker 37 points Mistral subsided the water was very all winters. They now not only design cold and cloudy with precipitation, 5th. Long Course .. 33 points and build underwater cameras, they 6th. Maintenance .. 28 points and on calm days there was another use them. menace — ground swell, which 7th. Scott .. . . 17 points caused tremendous movement of the We also somehow found time to 8th. Boyd .. .. 13 points crane jib and made handling of the visit St. Tropez and the Ile de Levant. Event Winners were:— Scimitar hazardous or impossible. The underwater scenery at the latter Three Miles— Because of the swell we moved to a is fascinating but unfortunately we A.B. Setchell, C.D.Star more sheltered site, but the visibility thought it inadvisable to take the Shot— was worse. However, in order to underwater cameras to record it. L.S. Slingsby, C.D.Star show the possibilities of the area we Lastly, we are immensely indebted 220 Yards— S./Lt. Stratton, C.D.O. 'Q' did a dive off Bandol and here we to our French hosts. We lived in the Lt. Lafferty receiving the Victor Ludorum were easily able to photograph a Naval Mess at St. Mandrier where Steeplechase— Trophy for the best all round athlete of flare at 150 feet. the food was excellent and the corn- A.B. Setchell, C.D.Star the sports. 48 www.mcdoa.org.uk 49 only

being

Deep-

points

points points points

Whilst

was not

16 18 45i points 22

62i points 17

. .

. .

.

.

Vernon.

Vernon

- .

Deepwater

Deepwater

. . . .

Walker Willis

Deepwater

Maintenance .

Ordnance

Boys

and the rest of

P.O. Hartshorn, C.D.1 P.O.. Blaylock, C.D.1

P.O. Laylock, C.D.I A.B. Turner, C.D.Star P.O. Holland, C.D.1 Lt. Trounson, C.D.O. 'Q' P.O. Hartshorn, C.D.1 P.O. Hartshorn, C.D.1 Lt. Lafferty, C.D.O. 'Q'

A.B. Turner, C.D.Star P.O. Ayre, C.D.I A.B. Dolan, C.D.Star L.S. Audoire, C.D.I

The Water Polo match was

I Length Butterfly—

5th.

1st. 3rd. 4th. 2nd. 6th. Medlay Relay—

100 Yards Backstroke— Freestyle Relay— 100 Yards Freestyle—

P.O. Blaylock, C.D.1

P.O. Lott, C.D.1 P.O. Ayre, C.D.1 A.B. Dolan, C.D. P.O. Hartshorn, C.D.1

Event Winners were:-

as many places as possible in the many as from any other Division and placings :- us in the final we managed to get 13 through. This was roughly twice as proved decisive as shows in the final

final. Of the 16 places available to

P.O. Ayre, P.O. Holland and A.B.

it is fair to say that Dolan. water Water Polo: win. The final score was 3-2 and the goal scorers for

was played, with at its strongest (as most of the team extending themselves sufficiently to The Team comprised:—

arranged as a fixture between are divers) a very interesting match

51

War Team in action

-

o

-

Tug

P.O. Roberts, C.D.1 (Coach) L.S. Slinsby, C.D.Star P.O. Maynard, C.D.1 P.O. Hendrick, C.D.1 L.S. Audoire, C.D.1 P.O. Hartshorn, C.D.1 L.S. Martin, C.D.1 C.P.O. Christmas, C.D.1 A.B. Smith, W. S., S.W.D.

The Team comprised:—

It is perhaps not surprising that we

Roberts, C.D.1 was the coach and

put in many training stints. P.O. in the final by two straight pulls. the way in which they disposed of our old enemies (Ordnance Division) on the day it was a pleasure to watch

P.O. Holland and P.O. Blaylock, Aquatics:

expected to do well in the water, for together with many other capable

with such stalwarts as P.O. Hartshorn swimmers we did, as in previous competitions, concentrate on getting

a good entry for the heats to ensure www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

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In conclusion may I say thank you

The trouble was that there were not

The actual process of R.M.S. was

June. Training with the gun is not allowed to start before 1st July. Training runs will be done on the old Parade Ground, Victoria Bar- tacks at 0730 and 1700 daily. been 'rewritten' to avoid any estab- lishment taking more than three in at present, although the rules have future. It is our intention to try and bring back one or two of these

trophies on the 26th July. various ways to a highly successful all those who have contributed in term and trust we will do as well in our future efforts. the evacuation of 22,000 people the urgency of the situation was extreme. enough tools available to completely

equip even the first three volunteers, of 'rendering mines safe equipment'

was got together after some con- follow up. So, an 'ad hoc' assembly centrated thinking and this included the rubber bulb taken from the bicycle pump, a football pump let alone those who were briefed to motor-horn of a London taxi, a adaptor, a rubber washer, a nail, a piece of string, a screw-driver, an adjustable spanner, and the inevit- able hammer. (The motor-horn subsequently gave way to a lady's hairpin, held in position by a match-

stalk, which was later superceded by the more sophisticated `gag').

could get at the bomb-fuse and rarely the case, however, and it was simple enough, provided that one detonators; in other words: if the mine was 'sitting pretty'. This was

always a matter for intriguing spec-

53

to deal

Deepwater)

LT.-CDR. TAYLOR,

have entered two

by

King Alfred,

knew what to do about

Vernon

Vernon

London hundreds of magnetic URING the first blitz on parachute mines were laid on

R.M.S. in 1940-41 My First Job

P.O. Holland, C.D.1 L.S. Audoire, C.D.1 The latest escapade that we have

This year,

The

Messrs. Brickwood Ltd. in 1907 to embarked on is the Brickwoods Trophy, which was presented by Portsmouth Command. Other trop- for officers and ratings of the encourage Field Gun competitions hies presented during the competition are the 'Wills' Trophy (fastest time), the 'Loader' Cup (winning Ratings crew) and the 'Officers' Cup (winning officers crew). ratings teams (one from and training started on Monday 10th

the City as well as in the Docks and D Thames Estuary. The consequent devastation encouraged the enemy to purely as bombs and this wholesale use of magnetic mines ashore created develop the use of these ground mines a situation for which the Navy was not wholly prepared. (Indeed, some- one at the War Office must have that these 'bombs', being mines, earned promotion by discovering were a naval commitment and not a

military one!) them and Lt.-Cdr. Ouvrey gave

adequate instruction on how to remove the bomb-fuses, gains, picrics, magnetic detonators, primers, clocks who had been hurriedly called on, and so on, to the early volunteers from H.M.S. with the many unexploded mines lying around in London. As each one had an evacuation area of a half a mile radius round it and could involve www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

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22 THE HARD, PORTSMOUTH • Telephone 21351 23 We always assumed that there

Having done this I, also, retreated What had happened was that I, in

I joined my assistant in the funk-

line which had previously been laid would be a booby-trap behind the word of our squad, no matter what pletely unscrewing the keep-ring, the fuse (there was ample space for one) main charge for I had seen one go my initial excitement on my first job, in place by a piece of stick tied to a funk-hole. It released the hydrostat motor-horn and bomb-fuse were held motor-horn assembly and the bomb- my luckiest escapes. (The hospital's to withdraw it from a distance. `Do two colleagues with it (he was the operation. Thus, before com- myself as the many invisible people — in other words, to moisten the a large hole in the concrete path and Another second's delay and the lot too, for that matter!) the motor-horn. off the day before carrying one of my had forgotten to 'spit onto the washer wasn't air-tight and the pressure of air which I had pumped into the rather unresiliant motor-horn was leaking away as I strolled back to the practice. it from a distance' was the watch- out to the funk-hole and also tied to fuse to make them airtight. In this washer which went between the as I tweaked the line; the gain blew flung the mine about nine feet away. would have gone off. Quite one of ising it; in theory, but , not always in so, whenever possible, we arranged towards the funk-hole which I gazetted as 'missing, presumed dead') case, because of the dry washer, it chalant manner (as much to re-assure As I did so, there was the hell of an approached in a deliberately non- hole and gave the line a smart pull. watching me through their telescopes and binoculars). explosion. Startled out of my wits as I was, I knew that it was'nt the

I and my rating assistant then used

I then applied the rubber washer to

I was lucky in my first job — a I decided which way I should run

report progress in case anything went pressure of air which, in our judg- not very deep, but fairly wide, as I that they were better too close than bucket of water for leaks and its air be moved to a safe place and I passage way was cleared by means the funk-hole from whence he could the bicycle pump and adaptor to ment, equalled a head of 12' of type 'C' para-mine which had landed too close to the job but I reckoned blow into the motor-horn bulb a of a nail. My assistant then retired to ulation, whilst driving hell for leather for it if the bomb-fuse should start to tick and how far away I could get in the 17 seconds available. There I arranged for a funk-hole to be dug; the bomb-fuse and carefully screwed mine lying; buried in the earth, sunk should be coming over the top at water. This was then tested in a hydrostat in the fuse thus immobil- to a job from our base in the Admir- nine-storey building or, just lost in a North London, commandeered by think that my funk-holes were usually ordained that the hospital's X-ray do, if only to humour me. wrong. the clumsy, unhandy, motor-horn alty, as to how one would find the its parachute from the cornice of a to take my mind off myself and — assembly onto it, released a stop- cock to admit the air-pressure to the in a marsh, welded to the live the military and now filled with soldier casualties. Important enough clear off, too. This they appeared to electric line of a railway, swinging by forest. 'sitting pretty' ! and other valuable equipment should insisted that the surgeons should in the quadrangle of Shenley Hospital just out of reach! Meanwhile, I

some speed. My colleagues used to www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

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SOFNOL LTD., WESTCOMBE HILL, GREENWICH, LONDON, B.E.10 www.mcdoa.org.uk Book Review La Cheminant St iffiN WET by 'B.F.' MASTER MARINER *AVAILABLE AS A TWO-PIECE SUIT "THE MAN IN THE HELMET" book is a must. It gives a most com- DIVER'S WATCH WITH WAIST OR CHEST HIGH by DESMOND YOUNG prehensive review of the state of the TROUSERS, HOOD AND BOOTIES. art over a great number of years, Published by Cassell, London £22.0.0 inc. P/tax ALTERNATIVELY AS A ONE-PIECE written in a style that makes inter- Deposit 1/5 - Balance over 12 months SUIT, WITH HOOD AND BOOTIES. F all the books I have read esting and pleasant reading. about diving I think this is O British submariners may be dis- BOTH SUITS ARE MANUFACTURED probably the best. The author appointed that their latest achieve- • SWISS HIGH GRADE makes little or no claim to personal 25 JEWELLED-LEVER AUTOMATIC FROM THE FOLLOWING ments in submarine escape have not MATER-IALS achievement in our sphere but as the been included, similarly I was not SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT. son of that great salvage exponent entirely in agreement with the authors i" SINGLE SKIN, 3/16" SINGLE SKIN, Commodore Sir Frederick Young, account of the circumstances attend- • INCABLOC SHOCKPROOF. 3/1 he records with intimate detailed 6" DOUBLE SKIN, i" DOUBLE ing the indentification of Affray after SKIN NEOPRENE AND 3/io" SINGLE knowledge, numerous feats of deter- AUTOMATIC DATE CHANGE she had been located at the edge of • SKIN WITH NYLON LINING. mination, skill and courage that are the Hurd Deep. Others may also WITH QUICK ADJUSTMENT. part of the fascinating history of find grounds for argument or dis- mans fight to conquer the under- agreement but I feel certain that the • CONDENSATION FREE UNDER water world. knowledge of all those interested in ALL CONDITIONS. The author pays almost hero- the history and science of diving will worship to Sir Robert H. Davis in be augmented by reading this book. • UNBREAKABLE MAINSPRING portraying this great man's amazing AND ANTIMAGNETIC. foresight, generosity and prodigious contributions to the science of living • STRENGTHENED MIRROR-FINISH and working in unnatural conditions. STOP PRESS ALL-STEEL CASE. He also gives credit to many others Prices from £7.5.0 It has been heard that some Divers in kit-form and whose work has helped to further are somewhat self-conscience about • BLACK LUMINATED DIAL WITH £9.0.0 assembled the safety and ability of those who their physical appearance and fitness. BLACK LUMINATED ROTATING operate under these circumstances. BEZEL. Please send for They are now training on 'LIMITS'. full details For those who would have know- (Starch reduced, slimming type bis- • SPECIAL FLUSH FIT STAINLESS ledge of their heritage as divers this cuits!) Delivery of Tailored STEEL BRACELET. Suits 10 days. Delivery of stock items by return post. c. Z. U 1 S 9,1 a VJ E H.P. Terms available on all goods 1 Guaranteed waterproof to 360 feet CATALOGUES— PRICE 2/6 EACH 5 YEAR GUARANTEE 0 e c=, . , 1 r-N----- 'i.:--,,,,, (including unfair treatment) )) e o ,/) \ 0,00 "--- \Ck -s-ilfeN e / —

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