Interview with Commander Garrett (Gary) Reddy
Narrator – Commander Garrett (Gary) Reddy Essay Title – A Brief History of Royal Canadian Navy Clearance Divers Interviewer – John Thomson Interview Date and Location – Friday, March 1, 2024 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia via ZOOM Synopsis of the Interview Commander Reddy was born in 1952 in St. John’s Newfoundland where he attended elementary school and high school. He graduated from Memorial University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Reddy started in high school as an army cadet and then joined the Reserve Officer Training Program while attending university. He joined HMCS Cabot, he had a great time working with the reserves, and so he decided to join the CAF. He was hugely influenced by Diving Officer Bill Lupin to become a Navy Clearance Diver. Reddy was posted to the deep diving Ship HMCS Cormorant, which conducted over-the-side diving and also carried a mini-submarine that was capable of carrying up to five people. He was in charge of the upkeep and the maintenance of the submersible. Reddy then did a military exchange involving research and development with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center in Indian Head, Maryland. He discusses the routine, everyday tasks of a Clearance Diver and the task assigned to each of the teams in a Dive Unit. Reddy describes how Clearance Divers assist other Branches of the CAF including assistance dealing with EOD in Afghanistan. He states that the most difficult task facing a Clearance Diver is his next dive. and he then explains how tasks are approached, planned and then accomplished. Reddy was involved in the recovery of wreckage and human remains following the crash of Swiss Air 111. He was an Executive Officer in charge of Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic and he loved everything about being a Clearance Diver. Interview Time Log 01:02 – 05:29 – Early life before joining the military. 05:37 – 07:46 – Duty on HMCS Cormorant as Submersible Technical Officer. 07:48 – 11:56 – Time with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center in Indian Head, Maryland doing research and development. 11:58 – 17:34 – Routine, everyday tasks of a Clearance Diver. 17:36 – 20:26 – How Clearance Divers assist other branches of the CAF. 20:27 – 22:06 – Clearance Diver support of the army dealing with EOD in Afghanistan. 22:08 – 26:05 – Discussion of the most difficult task that a Clearance Diver could encounter. 26:13 – 30:29 – Role in the Swiss Air 111 Disaster. 31:04 – 34:33 – Responsibilities as Executive Officer in command of Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic. 34:37 – 36:08 – Highlights of Commander Reddy’s career. Significant Stand-Outs in the Interview: Time aboard HMCS Cormorant Upkeep and maintenance of a Pisces submersible. Exchange with the EOD Technology Center in Indian Head, Maryland. Routine, everyday tasks of a Clearance Diver. Involvement with the Swiss Air 111 disaster, Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.
- In Collection:
- Interview #SC141_RG_922
- 00:37:07
- A Brief History of Royal Canadian Navy Clearance Divers
- 33, 66
- 45.00015, -62.99865
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- Accession Number: 2025-002; Series 7; Item: 922
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2024. Recorded in digital format by interviewer. Keywords supplied by interviewer. Metadata by KD.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI