70thANNIVERSARY
Oscar Gugen
Peter Small
Born to dive
As BSAC gears up to celebrate its 70th anniversary , Simon Rogerson traces the roots of the early club , while Mary Tetley offers a picture of today ’ s BSAC
Born amid the post-war boom in club culture , BSAC was started by an entrepreneur and a journalist who combined their talents to popularise underwater exploration in the United Kingdom . Oscar Gugen , born of an Austrian father and a French mother , had the language skills to import diving equipment . Seeing the need for a national diving club , he established a partnership with Peter Small , a respected scientific journalist with a fascination for the sea , who would help with publicity .
By 1953 , a few sets of the open circuit breathing apparatus already known as the Aqualung were making their way into the UK ; a dive school had been established by former test pilot Trevor Hampton at his home in Warfleet Creek . Oscar and Peter visited the school and soon after wrote a draft constitution for BSAC .
The official date for the birth of BSAC is 15th October 1953 , when Oscar booked a room at the Waldorf Hotel for a screening of a new BBC film about the Royal Marines ’ diving unit . Fifty people turned up , 20 of whom joined BSAC on the spot . Oscar and Peter insisted the club would be non-profitmaking , controlled by the membership , and that an officer ’ s term of office should be limited to three years .
The first AGM was held two months later , by which time there were already 100 members . Oscar became the first Chair , with sports equipment retailer Colin McLeod as Vice-Chair . Peter Small was appointed Secretary , while a former RAF flight sergeant , Jack Atkinson , was named Training Officer , later National Diving Officer .
Inspiration and expansion
There followed a period of national expansion , propelled by Oscar ’ s zeal . He would often drive to swimming pools to demonstrate use of an Aqualung , often accompanied by another enthusiastic underwater explorer , George Brookes , who went on to become BSAC ’ s second Chair . Membership bloomed , fuelled by the availability of new Aqualungs produced by manufacturers Siebe-Gorman , and Heinke , both of which were more affordable than the models previously imported from France .
George died in 2016 , but speaking to SCUBA in 2012 , he described how his mentor would charm potential BSAC recruits . “ He made contact with many sports shops in order to sell fins , masks and snorkels . In this way we formed branches ; wherever a sports shop was willing to find a number of people who might be interested in sub-aqua , he contacted them and we booked a swimming bath and we ’ d go off in his car . Oscar would
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