Help IDentifying WWII Era Equipment

[MisterPG]

Hello all - I've recently come into possession of some original photographs of my late grandfather, who was an underwater mine-disposal and munitions-disposal specialist during WWII, in his full kit! I have NO CLUE where to start looking for info on the equipment he's wearing in these pictures, with the exception of my fellow scuba community. Does anyone recognize any of this equipment? Is it some sort of re-breather?

 

[elmer fudd]

That sure looks like a rebreather to me. My understanding is that the rebreathers back then were all shallow water O2 type.

The other forms of diving would have been surface supplied standard dress/hardhat diving and shallow water helmets.

Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan were still figuring out OC scuba during the war.

 

[Luis H]

I am thinking that is British… I may be wrong, but the uniforms and the equipment doesn’t look from the US to me.

I have read that the British were experimenting with mix-gas re-breathers in WW II. There combat swimmer re-breathers would allow them to go deeper than other.

This is obviously a salvage/ working unit (not a swimming unit), but it may be a similar type of re-breather.

You should post these pictures at VintageDoubleHose.com. There are a few very knowledgeable divers/ historians that frequent that site.

 

[Mike Lev]

There is no need to go to anywhere else!There are a few very knowledgeable Divers/Historians on this site.The Helmet the diver is wearing is a Desco Browne utility helmet.Looks like a prototype pre Buie.Not sure what model.It is a rebreather unit also.Google Desco Browne helmet or Desco Buie helmet.Buie worked for Desco

 

[8dust]

Those are great photos! You're very lucky to have them.

 

[MisterPG]

Thanks for all the replies so far, guys... I should have mentioned, he was RCN (Royal Canadian Navy), so the equipment might be Canadian-specific.

 

[easydiver1]

MisterPG, Those are some very interesting photos. I agee that this looks like a browne utility helmet but as I look thru my old Desco catalogs I see that it is similar in many ways but not the same. The tank setup is not like any in the Desco catalogs as far back as I go. In any case, I have a friend who has a helmet just like this one. As a helmet enthusiest, I have seen just about all of them. I have a call into him and will let you know what it is as soon as I here back. I am sure he will be very enthusiastic about these photos.

 

[Mike Lev]

Hello Mike.I spoke with my friend who has over 300 helmets and wrote a book on them.He said it is a Desco.He is also friends with the head of Desco.They made quite a few different models like this.Not all models were in the catalogs.This looks like the full one piece wrap around front window.Not the split window type.It is a Desco for sure.All you have to do is google desco browe helmet or Buie helmet.As far as the back pack.I don't know.

 

[Ben Dugger]

I believe the oxyger rebreather is a Siebe-Gorman injector type You can see them pictured in Robert Davis's book, Deep Diving and Submarine Operation.
Today O2 units are limited to 30 ft. but I believe the Brits used them ovet 60.

 

[TheCanuck]

Awesome pictures of a part of our national history I'm very proud of. Good luck identifying everything!