Congratulations & thanks to Nathan Isaacs
17 Sep 2024 - Hearty congratulations to MCD officer Nathan Isaacs on being gazetted for his promotion to Cdr to date 1 July 2024.
In June 2022, Nathan was the CO of SDG (Southern Diving Group) when he asked me to suggest a suitable name for Plymouth-based Southern Diving Unit 1’s new DSB (Diving Support Boat). Portsmouth’s SDU2 had already named their boat DSB VOLCANO after HMS VOLCANO, the Second World War naval EOD school at Holmrook Hall in Cumbria.
I suggested the name VULCAN which fitted nicely with VOLCANO. A previous VULCAN was the hulk of an old torpedo boat depot ship used as the diving school in Devonport as part of HMS DEFIANCE, the torpedo, mining & diving school quite close to the Plymouth team’s current HQ. I can remember some photos of the floating establishment in the Plymouth CD Team’s museum in the old building in HMS DRAKE. HMS VERNON even had a Vulcan Building which survives in Gunwharf Quays to this day.
Here are the vessels making up HMS DEFIANCE in the Tamar up until the mid-1950s comprising front left HMS VULCAN (originally a small torpedo boat carrier) with the old screw frigate HMS INCONSTANT alongside her. Bringing up the rear is the old 1st class protected cruiser HMS ANDROMEDA. Just visible behind them is the battleship HMS HOWE with an RFA in the distance. The minelayer HMS ARIADNE is on the distant trot.
Another HMS VULCAN was a trawler used as a depot ship for Coastal Forces. Here she is as the depot ship for the 1st Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla based at HMS VERNON just before the start of the Second World War.
This HMS VULCAN then served as a repair ship for a minesweeping flotilla and was involved in lifesaving after the Air Raid on Bari, having some mustard gas casualties as a result, before being paid off in 1947.
Having suggested the name of VULCAN for Plymouth’s DSB, imagine my delight when I spotted the following article:
Spotlight on the Navy’s Diving & Threat Exploitation Group
It includes this image of DSB VULCAN entering Plymouth harbour.
P.S. Would someone give Nathan a nudge to join the MCDOA via our MOJO membership website, please?