In February 1965 the team was deployed to Singapore to assist the RN diving team. The team embarked on HMAS Melbourne for the trip north and on arrival the two teams combined forming two teams that performed tasks all over Malaysia and Borneo. The tasks included Operation Awkward exercises in northern Malaysian waters, attempted recovery of helicopters in both Malaysia and Borneo, recovery of explosives and a wreck dive on HMS Repulse to attempt to recover the ship's bell.

"We were posted to HMAS Melbourne fo the passage to Vung Tau, being offloaded to HMS Terror to work with the RN team. Two members and myself transferred to HMAS Sydney, arriving Vung Tau on the 4 May 1966. After helping Sydney with her hull searches, we were discharged by barge with the last cargo to the shore, and after a night spent sleeping under a tank, hitched a lift in a US Army helo to Saigon. Here we worked with the USN EOD team in and around Saigon and at Nha Be which was the waiting anchorage for Merchant ships, presenting a juicy target for the VC. We searched their cables, screws and rudders each slack water.

Following an enquiry by Captain J.T Shepherd USN as to whether the RAN intended to base an EOD unit in Vietnam, I wrote to FOCAF suggesting that CDT 1 be deployed to Vietnam. A suggestion that led to the creation of CDT3." (Alastair Cuthbert - OIC CDT1)

The purpose of the first trip was soley in support of HMAS Sydney during her time unloading troops etc. whilst anchored in Vung Tau. It was during this period that Alistair made the arrangements for us to do the time with USNEOD team prior to and to coincide with the Sydney's next arrival in Vung Tau.

Hence passports were arranged obtained for all team through the Australian Consulate in Singapore and visas gained for our later entry to South Vietnam. this being the reason why our passports do not show us as ever leaving Australia, they do show us entering but not departing Vietnam as we exited the country through Vung Tau on our return to Australia which included a number of jackstay transfers of all our equipment between various ships including HMAS Derwent, HMS Loch Fada and HMAS Supply.

Transport to Saigon was via an RAF flight. A flight we were lucky to get on as we had been to a farewell party thrown on our behalf and the RAF crew weren't to impressed with a couple of us, need to say no more however with considerable persuasion and apologies on Alistair's behalf we were allowed on for the flight, even being given the privilege of being the first embarked and personally escorted to our seats.

On arrival in country we stuck out like sore thumbs dressed in number 8's AWD with our sailors hats as such we were issued by the army with reject army Jungle greens to be worn during our stay.we were divided into 2 groups with 1 group working within Nhe Be responsible for the search of vessels

The ROP's outline the tasks undertaken whilst in country and the experience was very rewarding and all members volunteered for any future involvement however we were told we weren't there.

2 members did get to see further land service in Vietnam both John Kershler and John Pocklington were members of the later formed CDT3, myself 2 tours on the gunline during the first and second deployment aboard HMAS Perth."

In the early 1970s the Team comprised 12 CDs - 2 officers and 10 sailors. This number was augmented by the services of a Sick Berth Branch sailor qualified in Underwater Medicine; initially when operating detached from base at HMAS WATERHEN and eventually full time on complement.

The Team's responsibilities were defined as “All operational Diving, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, including Improvised Explosive Devices, in ships and establishments and below High Water Mark on the Australia Station”.

In 1974, the Team structure altered and complement was increased to 24. Later again, in 1994, a more radical restructuring took place, in line with the disposition of Fleet Units, so that today there are only two PNF Clearance Diving Teams - Team Four based at Fleet Base West, HMAS STIRLING, WA and Team One on the East Coast based at HMAS WATERHEN each with complements of approximately 60.

HMAS Sydney had been transporting troops to Vietnam since May 1965 but in 1966 the government decided to commit the RAN to its first combat role in Vietnam. As a result Clearance Diving Team 3 (CDT3) was formed, deploying in Feb '67 after an extensive workup period encompassing jungle warfare training, extensive weapons training, diving and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) refreshers with a particular emphasis on Viet Cong booby trapping techniques.

The first 7 teams were based at Vung Tau to the southeast of Saigon (3 Corp, or Military Region 3) with the 7th team being relocated to Da Nang late in their tour. The 8th team served their entire tour based in Da Nang

In accordance with US Naval policy for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, CD teams served a maximum of 6 months operational time 'in country' with the Aussie divers spending an additional 2 weeks at each end of their tour providing a handover from the outgoing team to the incoming team. This resulted in each of our teams spending approximately 7 months in Vietnam.

Teams were on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week for their entire tour. To achieve this high rate of availability, the team implemented an internal roster which in any 24 hour period had 2 personnel ready to go at immediate notice, 2 on standby as backup and 2 on stand down. Often, 4 or 5 team members were deployed at the one time.

Operations varied from 'bread & butter' type diving and EOD Ops to support of the 'Brown Water war' including special operations with the Vietnamese armed forces. Clearance Divers worked alongside US Navy Seals, US Army Air Force Marine and Navy EOD, US Army Rangers, US Cavalry (air & armoured), Australian Army Training Teams, US Advisors and South Vietnamese Army and Navy units. Although Navy Office directives to OICs specifically precluded operations in or near Cambodia or with the US Navy Seals, most teams were involved in 'special operations' which were not always recorded in the monthly reports.

plus numerous individual Vietnamese and US bravery recommendations all of which could not be accepted. (Australian Government policy refused the receipt of individual foreign bravery awards).

In January, 1991, AUSCDT Three was reformed with personnel from across the force and was despatched to Bahrain to help the U.S. Marines prepare for the proposed amphibious invasion of Iraqi occupied Kuwait. As Operation Desert Storm progressed the requirement for an amphibious assault lessened, the Team's primary mission became the Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] clearance of the ports of Kuwait.

The twenty-three man team entered Kuwait by land on the 5th March. Joining almost fifty other divers from the US and Royal Navies they began the dangerous task of clearing wharves and warehouses of unexploded ordnance and booby traps before entering the oil blackened waters of the harbour to search for, and dispose, of sea mines.

During the next seven days AUSCDT Three cleared over 450,000 square meters of seabed, searching for both buoyant contact and influence ground mines. An effort that represented seventy per cent of the harbour area cleared by coalition forces by the time the port re-opened to shipping. Their efforts weren't restricted to below the surface operations. During this time the Team also rendered safe three Iraqi seamines, carried out booby trap clearance on a nearby oil refinery and assisted US personnel to recover six anti-ship missiles from the Kuwaiti Girls Science High School.

Moving south, AUSCDT Three were next tasked with clearing the Kuwaiti Naval Base of Ras Al Qualai Ah. The ten day operation involved removing booby traps and rendering safe thirty-one sea mines. Back in Kuwait City the Team continued work on clearing the harbours and beaches that were Kuwait's lifeline with the world.

On the 11th May, after three and a half months deployed, AUSCDT Three returned to Australia to be disbanded and members returned to their parent Teams. During their time in the field they had cleared four ports, dealt with 60 seamines, cleared 234,986 pieces of ordnance and searched an astonishing 2,157,200 square metres of sea bed! They lost count of the number of booby traps that they had to contend with!

AUSCDT Three had distinguished itself well in Kuwait and earned for the RAN Clearance Diving Branch an international reputation for skill and professionalism. Recognition of their achievements included the award of two Conspicuous Service Cross's, 1 Order Of Australia Medal, 4 Conspicuous Service Medals, an Australian Meritorious Unit Citation and an Admiral's Commendation.

In March and April 1991, in the aftermath of the First Gulf War, CDT3 had gone into action for the first time since Vietnam. Twenty-three Australian divers cleared several Kuwaiti ports, a naval base, and a number of beaches.

From March to May 2003, 32 divers were deployed to the same region, this time operating in Iraq itself. One of their early tasks was clearing the port of Umm Qasr. Working in muddy water with zero visibility, they located a sunken minelayer with live sea-mines aboard. They also worked on land, checking port buildings for booby-traps and helping British commandos clear unexploded mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades from the town.

Later they moved north to clear another port at Khawr Az Zubayr and, demonstrating their versatility, also conducted mine clearance patrols on the Al Faw peninsula, along the shores of the Khawr ’Abd Allah waterway. Finally, the divers helped clear sea-mines, anti-submarine mortars, and other ordnance from a major storage area attached to the Iraqi navy’s mine warfare school.

The Tactical Assault Groups are the premier counter-terrorism units of Australia. The two TAGs, East and West, are structured to conduct offensive domestic counter-terrorist (CT) operations focusing on incident resolution and the recovery of hostages. They maintain a short notice capability to conduct military operations beyond the scope of State and Federal Police tactical teams. These aims are achieved through various highly specialised skill sets, niche capabilities and supporting Australian Defence Force (ADF) units.

The two units: TAG (West), and the other TAG (East); each protect a different domestic geographical area, with TAG (East) having the primary response to domestic counter-terrorism and TAG (West) offshore recovery. The units draw their members from other units within the Australian Defence Force, with each TAG unit drawing from different parent units.

TAG (West) is responsible for the areas of Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory,outlying Australian island territories and overseas area of interests. TAG West draws its members from the Special Air Service Regiment.

TAG (East) is the lead TAG for domestic CT and is responsible for the areas of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Jervis Bay Territory, Australian Capital Territory and other outlying Australian island territories. TAG East draws its members from the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando), supplemented by a small number of subject-matter expert SASR personnel and the Royal Australian Navy's Clearance Diving Teams. The Royal Australian Navy component consists of an Operations Officer, a Clearance Diver (CD) assault platoon, one team of CD maritime snipers, and an Underwater Medic.

Both TAG's have their own world class training facilities including advanced outdoor close quarters battle ranges, MOUT villages, urban CT complexs, full size aircraft mock-ups, and sniper ranges.

SASR from TAG (Now TAG West) during an exercise in 1983.The Sydney Hilton bombing on 13 February 1978 was the catalyst for the Commonwealth Government to initiate an urgent review of security procedures to combat the threat of international terrorism.

The anti-terrorist agencies (the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) were placed on heightened alert and a Protective Services Coordination Centre was established. The Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a Standing Advisory Committee on Commonwealth State Cooperation for Protection against Violence, which would be primarily responsible for the coordination and funding of various organisations involved. He also directed that police forces around Australia absorb the CT role. However, a study by Sir Robert Mark, at that time recently retired from the London Metropolitan Police, concluded that this was a task for ‘sophisticated soldiery’ and should not be given to the police but rather to the Army. Sir Robert’s advice was further strengthened by the Ironbark Report, written by Colonel John Essex-Clark, in which he advised the urgent formation of a special CT force within the Army.

In August 1978, it was proposed to allocate the task of raising, training and sustaining the CT force to the Special Air Service Regiment to follow similar lines from the British Army with their CT team from within their SAS. The force was to be called the TAG and was to be commanded by the Commanding Officer SASR. On 3 May 1979, the Government approved the raising of a dedicated CT force in the SASR. On 31 August 1979, final authorisation was given for the raising of the TAG.

The training began officially in March 1980 and the force became fully operational in the following May. In July 1980, the SASR was directed to develop an offshore (maritime) capability, concerned primarily with retaking Bass Strait oil rigs in the event of terrorist capture. These operations were to be handled by a dedicated water operations team which included 17 Navy personnel from the RAN’s Clearance Diving Teams, who were placed under operational control of the SASR from 4 August 1980 as part of the TAG.

TAG (East) was raised on 22 July 2002 in order to increase the ADF's domestic CT capability. TAG (East) mirrors the original Tactical Assault Group (West). The dual basing enables the ADF to readily respond to simultaneous and geographically separate domestic incidents.