Navy clearance divers naval clearance divers are the australian navys special operations units. Navy divers by gregor salmon penguin books australia. No australian sas troops had taken part in the first gulf war although some of the navy clearance divers of cdt4 who conducted important operations in and around the coast of kuwait during that conflict had served as sailors in the water operations element of the sas counter terrorist squadron prior to 1994. Rising out of the second world war, the australian clearance diver has become one of. From 22 october until 8 november, divers from australian clearance diving teams one and four coordinated undersea disposal. This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the exciting and dangerous world of australian clearance divers the navys frogmen. He can be seen on a water insertion with navy clearance divers, firing at hostile roleplayers in an anti. Welcome to the world of the royal australian navy clearance divers. Clearance diving branch ran is the royal australia navy diving unit clearance divers.
This is one of the most physically demanding roles in the royal navy. Australian navy divers take the lead in render safe 20. During the vietnam war, 142 gators amphibious ships served in the combat zone. I think the course is 11 months, and they have to make it through a week long selection before hand. Over the course of nine months, it will take twentyseven men to the limits of their mental and phy. Clearance divers from the mine warfare and clearance diving mcd group and wider capability, including navys clearance diving teams, were integral to the joint australian defence force adf contribution to the coalitions fight against ieds. In cold, murky water, working by touch alone, they can defuse a mine powerful enough to sink a battleship. 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. In vietnam, the diving teams served with american forces. Iraq war veteran, royal australian navy clearance diver.
Navy divers have lent their expertise to operation render safe this year forming an integral part of the triservice amphibious task group that were responding to the dangerous legacy of unexploded ordinance located in torokina, bougainville island. The branch has evolved from traditional maritime diving, and explosive ordnance disposal, to include a special operations focus. 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. Rising out of the second world war, the australian clearance diver has. The continued history highlights the growth and development.
As the rans own elite special forces they undertake minewarfare, reconnaissance, salvage and covert operations. The australian military community navy clearance divers. A video about the royal australian navy clearance diviing group. 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. A clearance diver by definition does mine clearance operations but they do far, far more than that. Prince harry aka captain wales during his embed with australian troops. One wrong move and youre dead australian breaking news. Have had no diving experience, though i absolutely love water, swimming and well anything physical. Producer wes hardman writes of the vital and dangerous role they play in combat and rescue missions. Paul lost two limbs, and his career as an elite navy clearance diver was flung into jeopardy.
As covert swimmers they can infiltrate enemy waters. Navy suffered it greatest loss of life in a single incident, as a result of enemy action, during the. If you like water than clearance divers in the navy are a good choice. Clearance diving team archives naval historical society of australia. This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the exciting and often dangerous world of australian clearance divers the navys frogmen. 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. But they would take on new meaning after he was attacked by a shark in february 2009.
Mine warfare navy clearance dive teams from across the. The elite australian navy divers story started in ww2. Iraq war veteran, royal australian navy clearance diver, petty officer ollie sattin waits to join his fellow clearance divers in the anzac day march, sydney, nsw, 25 april 2006 smh news picture by. Under the burning afghan sun, they can dismantle a taliban roadside bomb. This documentary takes viewers through some of the most grueling, relentless trials of these young men as they go through the testing to enter the australian defense force. Royal australian navy fleet band in 1970, the fleet bandmaster, lieutenant w. The royal australian navy clearance diving branch clearance divers also serve as combat divers. Navy clearance divers do 1700 pushups as punishment duration. Offical history of clearance diving team 3 vietnam 2.
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. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Mine clearance diver royal navy jobs surface fleet. 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. Offical history of clearance diving team 3 vietnam. In cold, murky water, working by touch alone, the australian clearance diver can defuse. Clearance divers cd are fulltime specialist divers, who undertake diving. 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. 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. What are the chances of me completing the clearance diver.
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. Section one, the introduction, also provides a definition of clearance diving, a brief history and women and clearance diving. Royal australian navy clearance divers have successfully disposed of a suspect object in. Honest, no exaggeration and inspires confidence and pride in the australian navy clearance divers. Being a royal navy mine clearance diver means youre part bomb disposal master, part subaqua specialist. Offical history of clearance diving team 3 vietnam 3. A visit with chief grey lock and other abenaki stories, book 1. During the vietnam war, the unique character of the royal australian navy clearance diving branch emerged. This activity spurred royal australian navy clearance divers being called into service. Hi ljb187, doxa does not make custom watches, doxa cooperated with different organizations and military forces over the past decades to make special editions for them, like us divers, spirotechnique, numa, padi, tusa, swiss elite diver troops and lately the royal australian navy clearnce divers.
Farrell, ran, put forward a proposal that the ran fleet band conduct a concert tour in south vietnam during the forthcoming far east deployment in hmas melbourne. The historical references highlight some of the bravest and most daring men of wwii. Welcome again to the world of the australian navy clearance diver, among the most skilled anti. Cd tasks include complex diving missions to depths of 60 metres, surface and underwater demolitions, and the rendering safe and disposal of conventional explosive. Watch navy divers online full episodes of season 1 yidio. Following is a list of small arms currently used in the royal australian navy. 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. This truelife military story is taken from the highly acclaimed book navy divers, and follows the australian elite units entry into the. Adas card replacement aqf vet certificate request order log books.
Clearance diving team one demonstrate a range of capabilities from dive tank operations and aerial mine disposal. Clearance divers get spec pay i believe, so they would make more than their same rank counterparts. The clearance diver branch does not accept weaklings. Navy tugs and salvage ships were in the thick of the. Cds are also posted to the ran diving school, located at hmas penguin in. Clearance divers cd are fulltime specialist divers, who undertake diving, demolitions, explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal. Trained in all forms of military diving, weapons handling. The book is a complete history of the ran clearance diving branch and ross was the co of one of the teams that served in vietnam. Commander griffiths said this year 200 personnel from all three services would be joined by clearance divers from the royal new zealand navy, united states navy and the royal canadian navy. This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the exciting and dangerous world of australian clearance divers the navys. The french navy clearance divers are known as plongeurs demineurs. Experienced navy divers take these trainees through hell designed to test their strength and endurance. 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 the defence force remuneration tribunal dfrt. Navy clearance diver occupational diver certification adas.
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. Offical history of clearance diving team 3 vietnam gun plot. Ive read that the average pass rate for aspiring clearance divers is around 60%. 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 during their careers, cds will be rotated through the following sea and shore positions. The book, published by the society, is the first history of this unusual. Teams, and royal australian navy clearance divers in vietnam painting by richard derosset, depicting a viet cong swimmersapper mining attack on the tank landing ship uss westchester county lst1167, on 1 november 1968, in which the u. Navys amphibious ships and underwater demolition teams, and royal australian navy clearance divers in vietnam. The clearance diving branch is the special forces unit of the royal australian navy.
I am led to believe there is another volume to the book. Tony ey is eminently qualified to write this, which is not just his own story, but a rare insight into the discrete world of elite naval special forces. I passed high school on basic grades, cs and bs, im 19. Classic diving books military operations, and navy. Us navy 080724n6208n015 royal australian navy able seaman clearance diver hugh aitken, left, assigned to clearance diving team 4 and navy diver 1st class robert cherek. The australian divers were introduced to eod under vietnam conditions by being initially attached to a us navy eod team in saigon which was split into two each half of the. 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. Navy clearance divers from around the world are testing sea drones, live demolitions and mine exploitation as part of training to ensure sea trade stays secure. In cold, murky water, working by touch alone, the australian clearance diver can defuse a mine powerful enough to sink a battleship.
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. Royal australian navy clearance diving teams boot camp. What are the chances of me completing the clearance diver course for the australian navy. Their inspections of thousands of ship hulls, rudders, and anchor chains, and heroic removal and rendering harmless of deadly ordnance they found, saved many ships and lives. It is a good read for anyone interested in naval special forces or equally military history in general. Mostly the former, but as the books dedication reminds us, no fewer than 28 divers have lost their lives during their ran service. Looking back at navy divers contribution to war on ieds. Clearance divers cd are the australian defence force specialist divers and form part of the mine warfare and clearance diving group mcdgrp. Clearance divers now 25 naval historical society of. Tony ey royal australian navy, navy clearance diver anzac portal. 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. Navy divers perform a wide range of tasks in support of defence force missions. The job of a royal australian navy ran clearance diver is very physically demanding and. 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.
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