Diving unit’s story revealed

From humble beginnings in the 1960s with a one-man unit, the Naval Service’s diving teams have come into their own and, in today’s world, are involved in numerous operations, not just military but search and rescue.

A new book, to be launched later this month, The Ninth Ship — The Irish Naval Diving Section, outlines a history of divers’ operations.

In 1964, a young Lt Joe Deasy received notification from headquarters he was being sent to England to commence a seven-month long torpedo anti-submarine course, known as the TAS course. It came as a complete surprise to the officer because he never expressed anything remotely resembling a desire to go diving.