An Cosantóir

32 | Army Diving by Comdt Mark Brownen Photos by Army Dive Group photographers T he history of army diving can be traced to 15 May 1958 with the formation of the Curragh Sub Aqua Club, which while a civilian club had many DF members, some of whom went on to found the Army Sub Aqua Group (ASAG) in 1974. The first major operation involving military members of the Curragh Sub Aqua Club came in 1969 when their assistance was requested by the gardaí in the search for the bodies of nine children who died when a boat capsized off New Quay, County Clare. This operation, which lasted almost three weeks until all the bodies were recovered, involved 20 divers operating in search teams for the duration. When the ASAG was established in 1974 it drew its membership from all corps and services. Originally recreational in nature the ASAG also had the capacity to be transformed into a viable and well equipped military underwater unit. The group's original core element of about 70 divers (led by such notables, now long retired, as Des Hearns, Shane Gray, Dave Betson, Billy Nott, and Mick Moriarty) set about training all who passed through the annual courses on Bere Island in the skills required to allow the group be used both as an adventure and confidence training tool and as a deployable military diving unit. As the ASAG was one of the few established groups in Ireland with the capacity to assist with underwater searches and other water-based operations it quickly became regularly in demand to assist the gardaí, whose own diving unit was small at the time, and the new Naval Service diving unit. As the capacity of both the gardaí and NS's diving units grew the requests for ASAG assistance lessened, allowing the group to concentrate on its core business, the provision of adventure and confidence training for units. This training was co-ordinated by the Army Council for Adventure Training (ARCAT), which later evolved into the Defence Forces Council for Adventure Training (DFCAT). Operating through SO Sports and Fitness Policy in the J7 Directorate the ASAG delivers regular support to unit exercises and confidence training throughout the Defence Forces. Adventure training is extensively used by armed forces throughout the world as a leadership development tool. Studies have shown that there is a direct link between the experience gained from leading in hig- risk adventure training activities and leading troops in operational deployments. The group name was changed in the mid-1980s to the Army Diving Group (ADG) following a request to the director of training and a survey of the members that took into account the traditions and origins of the group. The ADG is recognised nationally and affiliated with the Irish Underwater Council, the national governing body for underwater recreational activities. An Cosantóir Dec 2013/Jan 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie Tpr Tom O'Doherty giving the OK signal on entering the water.

• Cover