DIVING MEMORABILIA

KIRBY MK17 DIVING HELMET

Chris Drake of Sea technical Services and Scour Protection Limited, had this Mk 17 Diving helmet restored. It was his main diving helmet and has seen over 20 years of service, many divers including myself have used this helmet logging up many thousands of hours. Chris decided it was time to give it a well deserved retirement and dedicated it to all the divers that had used it.

The Rudder position indicator HMS Keppel

SAS insignia plaque

In 1983 i was part of a team of 3 that trained 6 SAS C squadron boat troop members in shallow water diving. They kindly gave me this plaque and a letter written by Capt D. Commanding Officer of C squadron boat troop 22 SAS Regiment.

Capstan winch from the Minehunting horns of a Gemini inflatable boat

Seibe Gorman Underwater torch

Seafire Underwater cutting torch, uses mixture of oxygen and hydrogen. For cutting steel

Siebe Gorman knife with phospher bronze sheath, anti magnetic for minehunt diving.

Ton Class Minehunter Tiger tails

The top prize in this collection of diving memorabilia must go to this set of minehunter tiger tails. Unless anyone knows different, I beleive this is the only one to survive. This was used to give the divers an initial visual reference and direction of suspected mine contacts during minehunting ops. The Captain of HMS Kirkliston always wondered why we took a little longer than the other hunters to find mines. ( This set of tails actually came from HMS Brinton prior to being scrapped.) Shorty Loughers model of HMS Bronnington clearly shows a set on the bridge roof (see further down )

HMS Reclaim ships crest

This is a ships crest of HMS Reclaim, the Royal Navys deep diving vessel, she was launched in March 1948 and served the Navy well, right up until 1979 during this time her divers had broken the world deep diving record on many occasions. Sadly she was eventually broken up in 1982. I found this crest in a second hand shop in Albert rd Southsea.

HMS Reclaim

Seaforth Clansman badge

This is a Naval party 1007 badge. The Seaforth Clansman was a civillian ship that the Royal Navy had on a long term charter, it replaced the role of HMS Reclaim as the Navy's deep diving vessel. I spent a very rewarding 18 months on the clansman.The most memorable project was my involvement with the salvage of the Royal Navy's first submarine, The famous Holland 1.

Clearance divers branch badge

My CD 3s badge, this was the badge that was awarded to me for my first promotion on the diving promotional ladder, a proud moment, it meant that i was no longer a baby diver.

CD 2s Branch badge

( courtesy of Tony Groom )

Leading divers badge, this gold one was the badge worn on No.1 uniform, in normal talk that means your best suit. Kindly supplied by Tony Groom.

Clyde submarine base diving team (Faslane)

( Courtesy of Tony Groom )

Badge of the clyde submarine base diving team, on a special mount alongside Seibe Gorman knife. Kindly supplied by Tony Groom.

HMS Bronnington scale model

Shorty Lougher has built this fantastic model of HMS Bronnington, HRH Prince of Wales Prince Charles was commanding officer in 1976. Note the detail, you can see the Tigers tails on the bridge roof and also the one man recompression chamber on the port side. Brilliant!

Courtesy of Shorty Lougher

commemorative first day cover Holland 1 Submarine

In 1982 we raised the wreck of the Navy's first submarine, The Holland 1, she now proudly lives in Gosport at the Submarine museum. This is No.41 of 50 produced to celebrate the salvage and restoration of a magnificent piece of Naval history. Note the Mary rose Henry VIII stamp, the salvation operation was in the same year as raising of Mary Rose. Signed and stamped by Naval Party 1007 (Seaforth Clansman) Officer in Charge Lt Duncan Bridge.

A proud day for me to take my 2 sons to see the Holland 1 after its restoration in 1989

Holland 1 on the surface in Gosport Submarine museum.

Superlite diving helmet lapel pin given to me by Theo Mavrostomos

This superlite lapel pin, was given to me by Theo Mavrostomos when we were working together at Comex, Theo is still the worlds deepest man having broke the World deep dive record at 701M.

Theo in one of the Rolex adverts from National gegraphic magazine.

Signed photo from Theo

Glass tankard, Portsmouth and medway Clearance diving team.

This is the glass tankard given to me as a gift by the team when i left to join the training school in HMS Vernon, it is inscribed on the front with the team crest and on the back with my name circa 1981.

BR 2806 military diving manual 1972 edition

This contained all the procedures for diving equipment and operations, included Royal Navy decompression tables.

Glass divers

Glass divers in various equipment, popular with divers during the 80s

Limited edition vintage port to Commemorate the decomissioning of H.M. Royal Yacht Brittania.

A friend kindly allowed me to take a photo of this Limited edition bottle of vintage port, Commemorating the decommisioning of Her Majestys Royal Yacht Brittania. This is No. 1029 of 1050 bottles. Complete with its box and certificate.

Shorty's diving models

Shorty Loughers Son Justin made this set of resin diving models for his Dads birthday. They depict the sort of diving Shorty had done throughout his career. A wonderful and thoughtful gift.

From the Left they are 'JIM' atmospheric dive suit, Siebe Gorman Standard diving gear, 'WASP' propelled one man atmospheric dive suit.

NAVY DIVING CERTIFICATES

Some of my certicates given to me at the end of various courses done at HMS Vernon.

Initial clearance divers course 1977

Saturation Diving course 1982

Ships diving supervisor 1983

Coins from the wreck of HMS Association and Dutch East Indiaman Hollandia

Both ships were shipwrecked off the Isles of Scilly in the 1700s, These coins were recovered over a period of 20 years between 1975-1995 by a close friend of mine.