RNPL @ Peel Cottage
In 1942 RNPL was based in Clayhall Road, next to the
Clayhall Royal Naval Cemetary. On the face of it the establishment appeared to be an
ordinary house with a wooden front gate signed ‘Peel Cottage’. But behind
the facade stood a number of buildings on a narrow strip of land stretching some
distance down to Haslar Creek. It was therefore not exactly obvious what was going on
in there.
Image 1 shows a workshop requisition for perspex
mouthpieces designed by Sid Castle. These continued to be used in experiments for
approximately another 10 years. Images 2 and 3 show Sid Castle (on the right) discussing
future work. In image 4 Sid Castle can be seen in the workshop and image 5 shows another member of the
workshop staff. Images 6 to 8 are of the RNPL exhibition at Portsmouth Navy Days,
circa 1958. In fact, my own (baking powder diver) toys were ‘borrowed’
to enhance the display ... and that was the last I saw of them!
At this time the Fort Road site was occupied by the Torpedo
Trials Base, Stokes Bay (part of HMS Vernon). Coincidently, my father-in-law (seen in image 9
and later on board ship in image 10) was actually stationed there (as Chief Ordnance Artificer)
at various times between 1950 and 1955. Following the move to Fort Road the Navy continued to
maintain a staff presence at RNPL until its closure. The purpose–built
Deep Trials Unit can be seen in image 11.
It was staffed largely by serving and ex-Naval personnel with Lt Cdr
Bill Filer, aka ‘Uncle Bill’, in charge. Bill appears in image 12, front row, fourth from right.
RNPL @ Fort Road
RNPL was relocated to Fort Road, Alverstoke, Gosport on the western side
of Portsmouth Harbour in the early 1960s. In 1977 it became known as AMTE (PL) (Admiralty Marine Technology
Establishment (Physiological Laboratory)) and then in 1984 ARE (PL) (Admiralty Research Establishment and
Human Factors Department (Physiological Laboratory)) followed by several other ‘reincarnations’.
Scientists and technicians carried out research into the physiological effects of diving, thus improving the
efficiency, health and safety of underwater work.
RNPL worked in association with other organisations involved in hyperbaric physiology, both within
the MOD (such as the Experimental Diving Unit and the Institute of Naval Medicine) and outside the MOD
(such as the Underwater Engineering Group and the Medical Research Council). There was also close
co–operation with several universities (Oxford, Cambridge, London, Newcastle, Salford) and
hospitals (such as King's College, the Royal Orthopaedic and The Middlesex). The main areas of responsibility
are described below.
Submarine Man/Machine Problems:
For example, emergency life support machinery in the form of the manually operated Carbon
Dioxide scrubbing system. This was primarily designed for the stricken submarine but had many non military applications.
Work was also carried out into the signal detecting ability of Sonar operators during long operational periods.
Underwater Bio-engineering:
Associated problems were also investigated and the laboratory carried out much pioneering
work on ‘JIM’, the atmospheric diving suit e.g. the ability of ADS operators to survive for long periods
without surface support.
Submarine Escape and Rescue:
Research was directed towards the use of various gas mixtures for extending the escape
depth and with the problems of being rescued by a submersible when the striken submarine is over-pressurised.
Diving Research:
Involved investigations into the numerous effects of breating gas mixtures at raised
pressures. The laboratory produced multiple excursion air diving tables Trimix tables and Helium tables for deep
saturation diving. In fact, the laboratory held the world record for deep diving with a dive to 660 m (2165 ft) in
November-December, 1980.
Thermal Research:
Into the ability of divers to combat the cold in adverse conditions such as the
‘lost bell’ situation when all surface support in the form of heating and communication is broken off.
Respiratory Research:
In association with AMTE(EDU) to ensure that beathing equipment would be able to provide
the diver with all their requirements over a wide range of workloads.
The establishment also contained laboratory support sections
i.e. Electronics, Workshop, Photographic and other administrative facilities such as a Library and Naval
Stores. In essence, RNPL was involved in all aspects of the physiology and medicine of diving
and had unique facilities to ensure that a high standard of research was maintained over a wide
range of disciplines.
Dr Roy Carlyle’s Memories
[...] It is interesting that you mention the old Clay hall [sic] site as I
visited there quite a few times when I was at the old Gosport Grammar school. In my lower 6th time
I was determined to do Chemistry and had a place at UC in London to go there. I was trying to make an improved
reagent to detect Mg… vain youthful conceit. My Chemistry master Dr Ron Page suggested I have a look at the
library at Clay Hall [sic] and I called at the lab and met the then superintendent who was Taylor if I
remember rightly. I was made most welcome and revisited many times to use the library. I never thought that
a long way down the road I would renounce Chemistry, take up medicine (at Kings instead of UC) and end up
working one day at RNPL across the road! That came about by accident as I was walking past the lab one day
and casually asked if I could look round and was taken aside by Val Hempleman who asked me if I was
interested in coming to do some diving physiology! I said I could come 3 months later when my surgical job
finished and I turned upon the 1st of April and started only to find that Val had not done the paper work
and I had not filled in the necessary forms or given me an interview! I remember Pat Baker telling me ‘not
to worry’. Those little things all got sorted after a few months! By then of course the old grammar school
had gone and the new comprehensive was at Bay House!
1985 & Beyond
In order to reflect individual needs (or that of the establishment) from time
to time staffing had undergone some fundamental changes. However, many people started to leave RNPL around
the mid 1980s when under ‘rationalisation’ much of the practical research appeared
to be coming to an end. A short time later, the observation of Cox (1989) really did underline the evolving
situation ‘Research programmes at the Admiralty Research Establishment have been cut back almost to
the point of extinction’. Although there had been gradual reassignments to other areas of the MOD,
or to its rapidly developing support agencies, many people chose to pursue other opportunities e.g. in
commercial diving, the maritime industry, the computer industry or academia.
Granted, the various acronyms relating to RNPL can all be rather confusing,
but the following link: Dstl‘s history
helps to explain a bit more about the evolution of what eventually became the Defence, Science and
Technology Laboratory, an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
References
The above summary of functional areas within the RNPL is based on the
1980 brochure: Deep Saturation Diving AMTE Physiological Laboratory.
Cox, R.A.F. (1989) Diving: occupation or physiological experiment?
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 82, p. 63.
Deep Diving Trials Unit (1965) A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ
FILM ID:1796.05. [online video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiqGrWdu-XM. [
Accessed 19 Jun 2022]
The following reference indicates the main investigators in the
deep dive series. However, a quick web search will reveal the extensive contribution to knowledge
made by these and others working at the establishment.
Hempleman, H.V., Florio, J.T., Garrard, M.P. Harris, D.J., Hayes,
P.A., Hennessy, T.R., Nichols, G., Török, Z. and Winsborough, M.M. (1984) U.K. Deep Diving Trials.
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. 304, pp. 119–141.
RNPL ‐ What Remains?
Here are some images taken on a sunny 11 Sep 2021. Although most of the
more ‘modern’ buildings are now gone, others (possibly listed) remain. The earth bank,
which made up the original fortifications of Gosport, will probably need to be reinstated if the
site is ever to be considered for develoment.
