DEPTH - 15 feet

Demonstration

Compartment escape

History of the DSEA Tank

Pre 1950's Photographs of Escape Training - DSEA equipment.
Slide show

Bill Wyatt (Instructor 1950-1955)

When I joined the SETT we only had the 15' tank.

Training: A DSEA set was the only equipment used, a lecture was given on compartment escape, the gun and conning tower could be used if you were lucky.

After the lecture the class put on DSEA suits, the drill for using them was carried out, they then entered the water at the top of the tank and went under so that they could see and feel what it was like to breathe under water.
They then went into the compartment, I think you could only get 8 men in at a time, you again went through the drill as you flooded up, the twill trunk being down of course, they then escaped and carried out the surfacing routine on arrival at the surface. If you didn't do it properly you could soon return to the bottom.
The DSEA set was OK if you did everything correctly. The first ones had a poorly positioned relief valve and it could be missed by someone who was in a nervous state with fatal results in an actual escape. A new set came out with a better valve and a better position. One must remember you were breathing pure oxygen from a small supply.

Students collect equipment

Breathing under water

In 1951 the Mark 1 immersion suit became available which improved things no end. - they were difficult to put on the same way as the shallow water diving suit.