Former Helston pupil joins elite Navy divers
4:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News
Former Helston pupil joins elite Navy divers
A FORMER Helston Community College pupil is celebrating after becoming a fully-fledged member of a Royal Navy diving team.
Able Seaman Diver Gary Chambers, 26, from Helston, has just completed specialist clearance diver training at the Defence Diving School (DDS) in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
He received his certificate and diving log from guest of honour Commodore Mike Mansergh CBE, Royal Navy, Commodore of the Maritime Warfare School of which the Diving School is part. Gary, whose parents Tanya and David still live in Helston, joined the Royal Navy in September 2011.
An ex pupil of Helston Community College, Gary enjoys going to the gym and cycling in his free time. He said: “It’s has been a hard six months but I feel proud to have passed the course and join the Royal Navy Clearance Diver branch.”
Commodore Mansergh said “It is a huge privilege to be here and to welcome these men to the diving branch. They are trained and ready now to do operational jobs . “To achieve all that they have done over 24 weeks is hugely important and a wonderful achievement that they should be hugely proud of.”
Navy divers are currently serving in Afghanistan, based at Camp Bastion, where they are working in support of the British Army's Royal Engineer Field Squadrons and also deploy to forward operating bases in Sangin, Banji and Kajaki. There they will carry out search and clearance of insurgent-laid improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and conventional munitions, and also accompany regular foot patrols. They also train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in explosive ordnance recognition, search and disposal skills.
During the graduation event the newly qualified divers put on a ‘real lifeZ’ display for their visiting families and friends.
