RAOC Gazette - page 260
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1983 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1983 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
UNDERWATER RECOVERY BY CAPTAIN (OEO) M. MOODY IT isn't always the REME that carries out recovery. Divers do it—deeper. The Joint Services Club in Rheindahlen has a special relationship with the civilian police and often asked for assistance in recovering ' lost' or stolen vehicles from the many lakes in the area. Some weeks ago a red Mercedes had been reported in- volved in a hit and run having knocked over and seriously injured an RAF Corporal from JHQ. A red Mercedes owner reported his car had been stolen. An irate fisherman com- plained that someone had driven a red Mercedes into his favourite fishing spot. Coincidence? As the German Police Diving Team were already fully occupied the Kriminalpolizei (CID) contacted us and asked if it was possible for us not only to recover the vehicle, but to recover it with as little damage as possible so that forensics could examine i t As duty Diving Officer for that week I agreed we would have a go. Not only was it good PR but it slotted in nicely with my training programme. Knowing it would be a labour intensive task I rang around all the local service clubs asking for volunteers. The following Sunday was warm peaceful and sunny, and although it remained warm and sunny throughout the day, the lakes at Heimbach were certainly not peaceful. A cavalcade of cars arrived to disgorge all manner of things apart from people. Police cars arrived followed by a large breakdown truck, even the fire brigade turned up. It was obvious to the local population that this was more than a fishing competition and before very much time had passed the police were more involved in crowd control than helping us. The dive plan was split into two parts—Search and Re- covery, for although we had a good general knowledge of where the vehicle went into the water, we didn't know where it would end up on the lake bed due to the flotation period drift etc. There was also the problem of visability which was virtually zero in the muddy water. The divers were assembled, split into two groups, briefed, and then we began. The first group of divers were in the water by 11 o'clock and as each succeed- ing group went in, our arc of searcher grew wider and wider. The divers reported that the visability was twelve to twenty four inches and the lake bottom was very soft mud. All the divers were roped together and signals were transmitted by a code of pulls previously worked out on the surface. It wasn't until 4 o'clock in the afternoon that the vehicle was eventually discovered upside down and some distance from its point of entry. At this point the second group of divers took over. This group was more experienced than the first because the plan was to attach lifting bags to the vehicle to break it free from the suction of the muddy bed and the last thing we wanted was an inexperienced diver becoming entangled in the car or lifting gear. It would be impractical to have divers roped together as we did on the search as there were so many edges for the rope to snag on, instead we had to rely on the practical ability of the divers not to stray more than an arm's length from his buddy. The police requested a report of any damage to the car before we began the lift so I, together with my buddy, kitted and went in to have a look. I also needed to recce the site so that I could work out the best plan for recovery. Despite my thick wet suit the water felt very cold, and as we sank, the water became darker and darker. It was only when I stopped sinking that I realised that I had reached the bottom and had actually sunk past my knees in the soft mud. I felt a hand groping my arm and was happy that I still had my buddy by me. Ahead I could dimly make out the black out- line of the car. We groped our way around the car checking Captain Moody inspecting the damage. for damage. The car seemed to be intact apart from the front nearside wing being dented and the headlight broken. We forced open the doors and, reaching in wound down the window so that when the car eventually surfaced the water could run out easily. I had one bad moment when I reached inside, as I felt something trying to get out, but it was only a cushion floating about! When my heart resumed beating normally we surfaced and reported what we had found to the police. I then briefed the diving group on where to fix the buoyancy bags and in they went. The spectators by this time had really settled in for the day, the banks were lined, bottles of beer and sandwiches were produced, some even set up their barbeques. The divers managed to fight their way to the water's edge with all the tackle and enter the water. An air line was run out to inflate the bags and in a very short space of time in a flurry of bubbles the car broke the surface. We took out a cable from the breakdown vehicle and the Mercedes was towed ashore and winched on to dry land. The police were very happy, they had the car and the evidence they required. We were happy, we had had a good training day, and the local population were happy they had a days free entertainment. I haven't heard what the REME thought about it! LONDON TO LIVERPOOL (Continued from page 213.) Ajtemote. 1984 is the National Centenary of the NSPCC and I am already formulating plans for a project to mark this occasion and, again, raise funds for the Society. Following the successful founding of the Liverpool Society in 1883, a further thirty three cities and towns throughout the country formed their own Societies. The towns range from as far South as Hastings and Southampton to Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North. My intention is to somehow link these thirty three Societies in one round trip, an estimated distance of one thousand two hundred miles. It would be impossible to walk this distance in the time that could be made available to me so I am looking for a unique form of transport. My original thought is to do the trip on vintage bicycles but if anybody has any practical suggestions I would be pleased to hear from them. — 215 — |
| Book number | R0406 |