Rising through the ranks, paul ultimately achieved his dream of becoming royal australian navy clearance diver ozs version of a navy seal. A clearance diver was originally a specialist naval diver who used explosives underwater to remove obstructions to make harbours and shipping channels safe to navigate, but later the term clearance diver was used to include other naval underwater work. Cd tasks include complex diving missions to depths of 60 metres, surface and underwater demolitions, and the rendering safe and disposal of conventional explosive. It is the authors intention to provide a quite accurate insight into what it was like to be a serving australian navy clearance diver in south vietnam during the late 60s. Been chasing this job for a while now, read probably 5 or so books either by cds or about them and just looking for any extra info i can get. Clearance diving in the royal navy, including their work during. Rising out of the second world war, the australian clearance diver has become one of.
Nervous inside, he trys to be still, but to join the navy, thats his will. Apr 22, 2019 clearance divers demonstrated the discipline and precision required to serve in the royal australian navy on 14 october in a display on sydney harbour for. Clearance diver, the life and times of an australian navy. The royal australian navy clearance diving branch clearance divers also serve as combat divers. For the rncda to be a success, it relies on serving and former royal navy clearance divers along with our extremely generous benefactors, sponsors and.
During this period the navy performed a variety of operational tasks at sea, ashore and in the air. Personnel from these and the australian commando regiment form tag tactical assault group teams. The royal australian navy clearance diving branch clearance divers also serve. The incredible story of the australian navys elite unit. The clearance diving branch is the specialist diving unit of the royal australian navy ran whose versatile role covers all spheres of military diving, and includes explosive ordnance disposal and maritime counterterrorism. The author joined the royal australian navy in 1965 and spent the following 20 years as a clearance diver, retiring as a senior chief petty officer in 1985. Units of clearance divers were first formed during and after the second world war to clear ports and harbours in the mediterranean and. Clearance diver is a bit of an odd one to pretend to be. The first clearance diving team was established on 18 march 1966 at hmas waterhen to support the eastern based fleet. The job of a royal australian navy ran clearance diver is very physically demanding and requires candidates. But trouble hunted him down in the form of a brutal shark in february 2009. Lieutenant robert woodall, chief petty officer clearance diver luke graham, chief petty officer clearance diver andrew keitley. Since the inception of the royal australian navy ran in july 1911, through to 1976, the promulgation, amendment and cancellation of administrative policies were routinely issued in the form of navy orders later commonwealth naval orders. Navy divers perform a wide range of tasks in support of defence force.
After an ordinary childhood, hugh obi obriens life has been surprising. Clearance divers cd are the australian defence force specialist divers and form part of the mine warfare and clearance diving group mcdgrp. This story is based on numerous real life experiences of the royal australian navys clearance diving team 3 rancdt3, which served in south vietnam from 1967 to 1971. Buy a discounted paperback of clearance diver online from australia s leading online bookstore.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The rans primary contribution consisted of destroyers, fleet air arm personnel attached to a united states us army assault helicopter company and the royal australian air forces raaf no. Not a clearance diver so im not the right person to ask. Cd tasks include specialist diving missions to depths of 54 metres, surface and. Since the formation of the royal navy clearance divers association rncda back in january 2012, the association has seen its ranks swell to a healthy membership of close to 600 members. This is one of the most physically demanding roles in the royal navy. Within that time he served with the clearance diving teams, the ran diving school, and the sas counter terrorist unit. Classic diving books military operations, and navy. Paul lost two limbs, and his career as a daredevil navy bomb clearance diver was flung into jeopardy. Adas diver training establishments providing clearance diver training. Cd tasks include specialist diving missions to depths of 54 metres, surface and underwater demolitions, and the rendering safe and disposal of conventional explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices.
The book, published by the society, is the first history of this unusual. Australian army captain sam ryan, however, finds it hard to believe that a member of australias equivalent of a u. The navy is poised to break new ground with its first woman clearance diver in training and could have a female service chief by the end of the decade. The french navy clearance divers are known as plongeurs demineurs. The clearance diver a boy, sixteen waits for the train, trying to be brave, but its only in vain.
The silver anniversary of the royal australian navys clearance diving branch was celebrated this month and to mark the occasion we are publishing extracts from united and undaunted by lieutenant commander ross blue, commanding clearance diving team 2 at hmas penguin. Gained after passing recruit training and then after successfully completing the relevant category course. Royal australian navy clearance diver explosive ordnance technicians at multi national base tarin kot, afghanistan. Clearance divers cds are the australian defence forces specialist divers. Cd tasks include complex diving missions to depths of 60 metres, surface and underwater demolitions, and the rendering safe and disposal of conventional explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices. Military shop supplies quality products to organisations, businesses and individuals. Welcome again to the world of the australian navy clearance diver, among the most skilled antibomb specialists in the world, whether underwater or on.
This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the exciting and dangerous world of australian clearance divers the navys. Navy seal team would be involved with drug dealing. The elite australian navy divers story started in ww2. In general, navy personnel qualify as a ships diver after passing a 3 weeks training course held at he relevant diving school. Cds are also posted to the ran diving school, located at hmas penguin in sydney.
In cold, murky water, working by touch alone, they can defuse a mine powerful enough to sink a battleship. The detailed and now scarce history of the royal australian navy diver clearance branch. Collection of publications commemorating the royal australian navy. Royal australian navy ran available only to persons within the ran. A clearance diver was originally a specialist naval diver who used explosives underwater to. A royal navy and commercial divers journey through life, and around the world second impression by groom, tony isbn. The job of a royal australian navy ran clearance diver is very physically demanding and requires candidates to already have a high degree of physical. A royal navy and commercial divers journey through. The clearance diving teams cdt of the royal australian navy also act as commando frogmen.
As the rans own elite special forces they undertake minewarfare, reconnaissance, salvage and covert operations. Check out these rate categories below they are the identifying badges worn by sailors of the royal australian navy known colloquially among sailors as right arm rates. This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the exciting and dangerous world of australian clearance divers the navys frogmen. Books of interest for exnavy personnel hmas sydney. Royal australian navy clearance diving teams boot camp. Clearance diver capability on show royal australian navy. The clearance diver poem by ray sinclair poem hunter. A video about the royal australian navy clearance diviing group.
Australian clearance diving team one royal australian navy. Navy clearance diver occupational diver certification adas. This involves attaining 600 minutes of diving time and incoporates triaing in sea bed and wall searches, circular and hull searches half necklace. Clearance diver, tony ey shop online for books in australia. The team at military shop has been proudly providing quality products to military, police and security organisations and their members for over 20 years. Buy a discounted paperback of clearance diver online from australias leading online bookstore. An ran clearance diver in the gulf war naval historical. Australian clearance diving team one auscdt one is one of two commissioned clearance diving teams in the royal australian navy. Royal new zealand navy rnzn available only to persons within the rnzn. Just wondering if anyone here is or knows current or ex clearance divers and has any tips about becoming one. A personal view of life in the royal navy by the author but includes quite a lot of information about diving, especially in the hms vernon chapter and also includes two nice prints of divers. A clearance diver by definition does mine clearance operations but they do far, far more than that. Australian navy clearance divers have always been the australian defence forces adf specialist divers and have, since the inception of the branch.
The australian military community navy clearance divers. Navy ships diver occupational diver certification adas. Between 1965 and 1972 elements of the ran undertook continuous operational service in vietnam. Over the course of nine months, it will take twentyseven men to the limits of their mental and phy. Navy divers by gregor salmon penguin books australia. He has been incredibly helpful and patient and is also very active in the royal australian navy clearance divers association. In cold, murky water, working by touch alone, the australian clearance diver can defuse a mine powerful enough to sink a battleship. Mine clearance diver royal navy jobs surface fleet. Eugene maxwell served as a royal australian navy clearance diver from 1977 to 1998, reaching the rank of chief petty officer.
The branch has evolved from traditional maritime diving, and explosive ordnance disposal, to include a special operations focus. Although clearance divers are considered special forces sf by the ran they do not form part of the. Royal australian navy divers and divers from mobile diving and salvage mdsu 1 conduct small arms training at ewa beach, hawaii, during the rim of. One wrong move and youre dead australian breaking news. I have read it from cover to cover, and i know that ill go back to it. Booktopia has clearance diver, the life and times of an australian navy frogman by tony ey. We design, manufacture, import, distribute, wholesale and retail a vast range of products and brands. While there is sufficient debate about their special forces status to omit them from socaus control, their capability, training and selection warrant such a distinction. Navy clearance divers naval clearance divers are the australian navys special operations units. Clearance diver academic dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Navy diver is a general term to describe members of a countrys naval forces who specialize in underwater diving and military diving australia. Ryan, an investigator with the australian defense royal australian navy special operations diver nathan macdonald, moonlighting as a nightclub bouncer, is viciously gunned down. Navy rates and categories royal australian navy gun plot. The incredible story of the australian navys elite unit gregor salmon.
Most fakers like to be supersf snipers with 14 tours of syria and afghanistan. Being a royal navy mine clearance diver means youre part bomb disposal master, part subaqua specialist. Looking back at navy divers contribution to war on ieds. Rising out of the second world war, the australian clearance diver has become one of the most respected and versatile operators in the military world. Clearance divers now 25 naval historical society of. For the first time ever, the royal australian navy has provided exclusive access to its most intense training program the clearance diver branch, an elite unit at the frontline of national security. Because theres only a handful of divers on any ship, youll form close bonds with your team and be central to their and your crewmates safety. His brothers, mike and david and his son jason all joined the ranks of navy frogmen thus making 4 members of the ey family to serve as clearance divers. The royal australian navy clearance divers association rancda had its genesis in 1972 and formed from the clearance diving team 3 vietnam veterans association in 1985 in order to to create a brotherhood of former and serving clearance divers and contribute to improving their and their families lives by providing camaraderie, advocacy, and mateship.
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