Salvation songs from the depths

Salvationist George Gale moved to Marrickville with his family in 1920. He was a diver for the NSW government and worked to repair wharves and bridges.

A series of articles in The Salvation Army newspaper, The War Cry, appeared about him in 1992, and here are some excerpts:

I went diving with … up-to-date diving gear with a telephonic apparatus – the wires running through the centre of my lifeline. By this means I was able to communicate with my attendant by phone instead of the code of signals by rope or pipe. One day, a lady and some of her friends came to see the diver, but as it was not my coming-up time I entertained her with some Salvation Solos from the depths through the phone while I was working.

His sense of humour wasn’t lacking either:

One day it was pouring with rain when I knocked off work, so I walked home in the diving suit without getting wet, frightening everyone I met!