In the beginning

 A few days after returning to Gibraltar from the Operation Pedestal convoy, I saw a notice on the ships Notice Board reading "Volunteers required for hazardous duties ashore". I wondered what could be more hazardous than the hell I had experienced on the Malta convoys - surely nothing ashore could equal that? I was soon to discover, however, that it was a case of “out of the frying pan and into the fire”! Starting in Gibraltar and with almost ludicrously inadequate equipment I joined the Underwater Working Party. I was interviewed in a dockyard office by a Lt Crabb and Lt Bailey, the Bomb and Mine disposal officers, who explained that explosions had taken place under two merchant ships a couple of months previously and this had led to the belief that the shipping in the anchorage was being attacked by enemy frogmen and not as first thought by submarine. I was asked if I could swim, and if I would be interested in learning to become a diver...

Commander Crabb - my boss - in the early 1950s

On a lung and a prayer...

Sydney Knowles' reminiscences of his wartime and post-war experiences as a Royal Navy clearance frogman under the command of Lionel "Buster" Crabb. 

Sydney Knowles - Gibraltar, 1950 

Now in my 86th year I started writing some brief memoirs of my  wartime and post-war experiences as a Clearance Frogman with the Royal Navy under the command of Comm. Crabb. This has prompted a great deal of interest and enquiries from all around the world, hence my desire to create this website, which offers just a taste of a story that has now grown to many thousands of words!

I must add that I could not have achieved this without the tremendous help and encouragement offered by my wife, Frances. I look forward to hearing from anyone with an interest in my diving history.  

Please bear with me - this website is under construction