Photo provided by Chris Balven who believes it may be the 1st Diving Class to graduate in the RAN.
Albert Corderoy, left, in Diving suit - circa 1900.
Divers from HMAS Australia.
Hobart, Feb 1920
Australian Divers who played a major role in the Bomb Disposal parties of WW2.
Left: Lt Maurice Batterham - OBE.
Centre: Believed to be LCDR Leon Goldsworthy - George Cross, George Medal, Distinguished Service Cross & MID. (the most highly decorated man in the history of the RAN).
Right: LCDR George Gosse - George Cross.
LCDR Leon Goldsworthy after the war. (see above)
Harry Brutnall, now 87 yeas of age, is probably the oldest living Royal Australian Navy Diver.
Harry qualified the day the Japanese Midget subs attacked Sydney Habour and retired in 1952.
Darwin - 1942.
'Standard Diving' class - 1943.
Rabaul 1946.
Note: use of Japanese prisoners as attendants.
Air pump for Standard dress diving.
Rabaul 1946.
5561a Oxygen Rebreather.
Note: explosive charges held by divers.
Diving operations, Flinders Naval Depot, Vic. Aug 1942.
LS H. Fennimore. Fennimore was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1941
for rendering safe acoustic mines at Suez. (AWM)
HMAS Rushcutter - 1957
Rear: CPO G. Duckworth (SD), PO H. Wilson (SD), PO Ray Voght (SD CD), A/PO R. Miller (SD CD), A/PO A. Jones (SD CD)
Front: LCDR M. Deummon RN (CDO), POCD A. Donald (SD CD), LEUT R.N. Hillen (QDD CD)
March 1956.
Note: CDBA, overalls & old circular facemasks - 2nd from left appears to not have secured his harness.
(AWM).
HMAS Rushcutter circa '56 - '58.
Standing left to right:
L/Cdr Drummond RN, Reg Green, Alex Donald, Bud Hillen, George Nesch, Kevin Reynolds, L/Cdr Homewood, OIC Diving School, David Dick, John Ingram, Rex Miller, Lance Morgan and Dixie Foord & Slasher MacKay.
Sitting left to right:
Tom Robson, Len Luhrmann, John Gilchrist, ? and Carl Errey.
Diving School Instructors 1958.
Back: Alex Donald, Bill Fitz, Alan Jones, Col Carr.
Front: Dixie Foord, Darky Voght, LCdr. Morty Drummond RN.
Divers repairing bent propeller blades of Icebreaker USS Eastwind, Garden Island.
circa 1960.
Photo taken by Sydney Morning Herald - not published due to divers not being in regulation dress.
diver: John Pugsley, attendant: Sandy Brennan.
Both divers were subsequently reprimanded by Lt Titcombe - awarded 7 day’s punishment.
(the 'good old days').
The 'dreaded' Cox Bolt Gun.
Air bolt fired from Cox bolt gun.
They reckon CDs can do anything!! Alex is taking it very seriously.
Note the weights on the handlebars.
The 1st CD's course in the workshop aboard Porpoise - 1955.
left to right: Len Freeman, Col Carr, Jake Linton, Bob Short, Carl Errey, Col Thompson, Norm Jeffress,
Charlie Wendt.
CDBA.
The 1st CD's course in the workshop aboard Porpoise - 1955.
left to right: Len Freeman, Col Carr, Jake Linton, Bob Short, Carl Errey, Col Thompson, Norm Jeffress,
Charlie Wendt.
Divers in boots and CDBA being assisted by Swimmer on Oxygen.
Note the diver's float.
Extract from old RN diving manual BR155 - used by RAN prior to ABR155.
Details differences between UBA & CDBA.
Drop & pickups. Sydney Harbour - late 50's.
LCDR Dave Lambert RN on left.
MCDU, HMAS Rushcutter 1959.
Divers: rear: Norm Jefferies, Col Bunker, Lt Egan.
kneeling: John Pugsley, Sandy Brennan. Civilians: left - ?, right - Mike Turner CSIRO
Diving on the wreck of HMAS Warnambool by a team commanded by LCDR Batterham.
The photo shows PO Spike Riley, dressed in Standard, in the cage used for getting the diver in
and out of the water, as well as for decompression stops.
HMAS Rushcutter - circa 1950.
Walrus.
Bluey Wightman & Wigg Willougby.
Bluey Wightman, ?, Wigg Willougby & Phill Racket.
Standing: Alex Donald, Bluey Wightman, Bill Priest.
Sitting: ??, Cyril Haupt, Lt. Langdon, Phil Rackett & Wigg Willoughby.
Photo provided by Chris Balven who believes it may be the 1st Diving Class to graduate in the RAN. Albert Corderoy, left, in Diving suit - circa 1900.
