Our classmate, the late Chuck Edwards, played an important role in this covert  operation to recover classified documents and equipment from the wreck of HMS Coventry.  Although it was shared in an email from Cam, our class secretary, I want to publish herein this particularly impressive story for everyone.

Chuck Edwards and the Wreck of HMS Coventry

Operation Blackleg (16 September 1982 – 28 January 1983) was the Royal Navy’s covert post-Falklands operation to recover NATO-sensitive cryptographic equipment and classified documents from the wreck of HMS Coventry. Lying on her port side more than 100 metres below the surface north of West Falkland Island, Coventry still contained material whose compromise posed a serious intelligence risk. To address this, the Royal Navy formed Naval Party 2200, drawn from its deep trials and saturation diving specialists and operating from the saturation diving vessel Stena Seaspread.

While the operation comprised five saturation dives, Dive 003 stands apart as the most dangerous and consequential phase. Beginning on 10 November 1982, the team was tasked with penetrating the ship’s Operations Room and Computer Room to recover remaining Ministry of Defence items. The dive was marked by multiple underwater blowback incidents during oxy arc cutting, including one that ruptured a diver’s eardrums and another that cracked the faceplate of a hard helmet. The confined, unstable interior of a battle-damaged destroyer at depth proved unforgiving.

During Dive 003, a critical incident occurred when Petty Officer Diver Michael Harrison became trapped inside the Computer Room, entangled in cabling and wreckage while recovering cryptographic tapes. Under instruction from dive control, Leading Diver Ray Sinclair navigated the passageways to free him, preventing what could easily have been a fatal outcome. Harrison later received the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, underscoring the extreme risk faced by the team.

Canada’s contribution to this phase of Operation Blackleg deserves particular recognition. Charles "Chuck" Edwards, serving as part of Dive 003, entered Captain David Hart Dyke’s cabin alongside Leading Diver Kevan Daber. Their task was to clear the compartment so subsequent divers could access the Captain’s safe and recover highly classified documents. In the course of this work, Edwards and Daber also located and recovered the Cross of Nails, a powerful symbol linked to the wartime destruction of Coventry Cathedral. The discovery was unplanned, found by professional happenstance amid hazardous clearance work, yet it became one of the most enduring human moments of the operation.

Operation Blackleg concluded with the successful recovery of all classified material and the demolition of remaining missiles and sensitive equipment. It remains a largely unpublicized example of Cold War naval professionalism. Dive 003, and the role played by Lt Charles “Chuck” Edwards, stands as a reminder that allied naval history is often shaped quietly, in darkness and depth, by individuals whose contributions merit lasting acknowledgment.

For a much more detailed account of OP BLACKLEG go to https://www.vernonlink.uk/diving.  The applicable section is about a quarter of the way through the article.  You can use “Find”, under the pull down menu “Edit”, to look for "Blackleg”  

Our RWE 2025 is officially a wrap!

RMC Class of 1975 celebrated our 50th year from graduation, as well as officially being welcomed into the Old Brigade along side the Class of 1980.

The Old Brigade is one large family.  Whether we attended RMC, RRMC or CMR, everyone is welcome at all Old Brigade gatherings.

RWE 2025 focused on grad year cohorts ending in 5 and 0.

To view highlights of our RWE 2025 weekend on the Reunion 2025 page,   Click here:

** Future Reunion Weekends **

Reunion Weekend (RWE) dates are now scheduled to coincide with the end of their respective First Year Orientation Programs (FYOP). 

This means that all College events such as obstacle course and badging ceremonies will still occur during Reunion Weekends, but those weekends will now take place approximately 2 weeks after Labour Day    ( mid-September, not end-September).  

Near-term future dates for RWE as published on the RMC Alumni website are as follows:

2026: 17-19 Sept (Class of 76) / Classes ending in 1/6

2027: 16-18 Sept (Class of 77) / Classes ending in 2/7

2028: 14-16 Sept (Class of 78) / Classes ending in 3/8 

An ongoing project to track down all our classmates. 

Please visit the "OP RECONNECT" page, if not already done so.

*** It's located under the Class Muster Sheets tab ***

Google Groups is a service from Google that allows people sharing common interests to participate in threaded conversations, share data, either through a web interface or by e-mail.

The Class of 75 Google Group has been created for RMC/CMR Class of 75 alumni members. 

Note:  In order to join the group and participate in discussions and exchange data, you require either 1) a gmail address, or 2) a Google account.  

Google allows other email providers (Shaw, Rogers, Yahoo, Bell, etc) to log into this service, but that email address must be linked to a Google account.

Click on the "Class of 75 Google Group" tab at the top of the page and follow the instructions.

Please spend some time on our new site, navigating the sections and the new features. 

Your feedback, comments, suggestions are welcome and encouraged by emailing either: 

Class Secretary (Cam Carbert)@<cam.carbert.rmc75@gmail.com>

WebMaster (Rick McCarthy) @<10716mccarthy@gmail.com> 

Thank you,

 Rick McCarthy, RMC Class of 75 Webmaster