ABCANZ Conference 2024

5 Nov 2024 - The ABCANZ (American, British, Canadian, Australian & New Zealand) Conference is an annual event hosted by a different nation each year. This year, the UK was the host and your humble Vice Chairman & Webmaster (Rob Hoole) was invited by MCDOA President Capt Ben Vickery RN to address its delegates.

On Wednesday 30 October, I gave a talk to the Diving Working Group delegates in the Map Room at Southwick House (Eisenhower’s wartime HQ and my old mess when it was HMS DRYAD’s wardroom) near Portsmouth. My talk focused on the history of RN diving and the mine warfare & diving aspects of Operations NEPTUNE, the naval part of Operation OVERLORD, the D-Day invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. My words were very much 'off-the-cuff’ as the Map Room lacked the facility for me to give my more usual PowerPoint presentation with all its pretty pictures.

I am grateful to MCDOA Chairman & Superintendent of Defence Diving Martin Mackey for taking this unsolicited photo of me in action

I must have done something right because I was invited back to give a talk to the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Working Group delegates on the following Monday 4 November. This time, my talk focused on the history of RN bomb & mine disposal and the work of the LCOCU (Landing Craft Obstacle Clearance Unit) divers during Operation NEPTUNE and the ‘P’ Party divers who cleared liberated European ports, harbours and anchorages thereafter.

I thoroughly enjoyed these experiences and the opportunity to meet such like-minded people from around the world. Huge thanks to Ben Vickery for inviting me and to Lt Jack Staines RN for his liaison work.