Donnybrook Men’s Shed cap off incredible navy career with stunning monument to deep sea clearance diver

The Donnybrook Men’s Shed has given new life to an old diving helmet, similar to the one worn by a former West Australian navy officer — using it to salute his career. The helmet belonged to Baz Everest and was in the possession of his friend and former navy colleague Mike Edwards, who lives in the Ferguson Valley. It has been incorporated in to an impressive wooden stand, while a telegraph from a ship which belonged to the Navy of Oman, which Mr Everest spent time on secondment with, was also resurrected. Men’s Shed member Gerry Loveridge was in charge of the project, which he described as a “piece of cake”, with the finished product set to be gifted back to Mr Everest. “Mike was an ex-navy captain and they served together — they were mates for years,” he said. “They were both deep sea divers, or clearance divers as they called them.” Mr Everest purchased the helmet, a Siebe Gorman six-bolt, in the UK, as a reminder of his time in the navy. “I am a retired Royal Australian Navy clearance diver and wanted something in the home that reminded me of my service and had some history,” he said. The popular Men’s Shed next to Egan Park and the soon-to-be Donnybrook pump track is also expanding, with a slab laid for the group’s latest building. The expansion is set to be completed before the end of the year.