Page 3 - Chiron Autumn 2017

Chiron Calling
Editor:
Lt Col Abby DuBaree Regimental Secretary RAVC
RHQ AMS
Robertson House
Slim Road, Camberley, GU15 4NP Tel (01276) 412749
Fax (01276) 412793
E-Mails: regtsecravc@hotmail.co.uk or abby.dubaree623@mod.uk
Editorial team:
Major Emma Jude, WO1 (CRSM) Stuart Rowles, WO1 (RSM) David Blackmore and SSgt Craig Woodall.
We welcome back our new
Chief Veterinary Of cer (CVO),
Colonel Neil Smith QHVS in the
Summer following the retirement
of Colonel Dougie Macdonald.
We wish Colonel Dougie and
Fiona the very best in their retirement. Many of our readers
will remember that Colonel Smith
handed over the same position
to Colonel Dougie Macdonald
just over 2 years ago. Although the title was then Director of Army Veterinary and Remount Services (DAVRS).
In the last edition I mentioned that our main sponsor Eukanuba were moving on after 16 years of sponsoring Chiron Calling. Well, I am very pleased to inform our readers that following some negotiation, Mr Mike Bloxsome from Eukanuba has kindly agreed that they would be prepared to extend their sponsorship for the foreseeable future. On behalf of the RAVC Council and all our readers, we would like to extend our warmest gratitude to Mike Bloxsome, his team and Eukanuba for their generosity and continued support.
We welcome two new Commanding Of cers in this edition, rst Lieutenant Colonel Neil Lakin (Royal Engineers) who assumed command of 1 Military Working Dog Regiment RAVC in North Luffenham from Lt Col Steve Foreman. We also welcome Lieutenant Colonel Martyn Thompson MBE who took over from Lt Col Mark Morrison as the Commanding Of cer of the Defence Animal Training Regiment in Melton Mowbray. They both come with sound pedigrees and there is a pen picture on each one in this edition.
The CVO and I attended the unveiling of the Australian Animal War Memorial in Pozières in France in July and also present was a delegation from 1 MWD Regt. Our
regular contributor, Nigel Allsop and his team did a fantastic job in organising this memorial to commemorate the fallen animals and their handlers during WW1 at Pozières in France. This memorial is well worth a visit by Chiron Calling readers who are able to travel to Pozières.
The RAVC history project is nearing its end and we are aiming to have Volume 3 of the RAVC History during the centenary celebration
of the Royal Warrant in 2018.
We are repeating an article on RAVC
Welfare and Benevolence in this edition for the bene t of the new members of the Corps. We are most grateful to the regular serving members of the RAVC for their support with the Days Pay Scheme, as this is the main source of income to the RAVC Benevolent and Welfare Fund. You can read more on this subject in this edition.
I would like to offer our thanks to the Adjutants at 1 Military Working Dog Regiment, the Defence Animal Training Regiment and OC 104 Military Working Dog Regiment for their effort in encouraging their troops to produce the articles for Chiron Calling. The contents and quality of the articles are appreciated by our readers and we always receive comments from readers to say how much they enjoy reading the magazine.
Finally, we would like to say a huge thank you to Major Iain Rose who has stepped down as a member of the editorial team. Iain recently completed his MSc in Animal Welfare at Edinburgh and we offer him our congratulations for attaining distinction in his nals. We welcome Major Emma Jude and SSgt Craig Woodall as our members of the editorial team.
EDITORIAL
Cover photos:
Left - Col Neil Smith QHVS and Maj Kendall Crocker
Middle - 101 MWD Sqn on exercise Right - CRSM Stuart Rowles, SSgt Ted Parsons and Sgt David Hathorn
STOP PRESS!
Owing to problems encountered in downloading some material through the MOD DII system, all future articles for Chiron Calling are to be sent to the Regt Sec’s standalone system: regtsecravc@hotmail.co.uk
Chief Veterinary Of cer’s Foreword .......................... 2 Founder’s Day ......................................................... 2 101 MWD Squadron................................................ 3 A week with Wagtail UK Ltd..................................... 4 Tough Mudder ......................................................... 4 Interoperability Training with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps ...................................................... 5 Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing ...................... 6 Commanding Of cer ............................................... 6 Defence Animal Training Regiment Open Day .......... 7 DATR – Forge Experience Day................................. 8 Interview with Pte Hwangbo .................................... 9 HOLLAND K9 Biathlon .......................................... 10 Lieutenant Colonel Neil Lakin Royal Engineers Commanding Of cer 1st Military Working Dog Regiment ............................................................... 11 Ex DRAGON TRAIL .............................................. 12 Troop Training in Germany ..................................... 13 Interview with Andy Miles....................................... 14 Army Boxing individual championships 2017 ......... 14
Tri-Service Wimbledon 2017.................................. 16 Sailing into the Midnight Sun ................................. 18 Military Reserves Exchange Programme ................ 19 All creatures great and small .................................. 21 Paragliding Club Pilot Course at JSMTC, Bavaria .. 22 The Long Way Home ............................................ 23 The Salonika Campaign (1915-1918)..................... 24 Bruce Hibberd's Number....................................... 28 Our Servant The Horse – Lest We Forget............... 30 AMS Netball Inter-Unit Championships ................. 31 RAVC Golf Competition 2017 ................................ 31 Nigel Allsopp Winner 2017 ANZAC of the Year Award.................................................................... 32 Australian MWD Roff WW1 .................................... 32 RAVC History......................................................... 32 World’s First War Animal Rose Garden................... 33 RAVC Benevolence ............................................... 34 Letters to the Editor ............................................... 35 Book Review ......................................................... 35 Notices .................................................................. 36
CONTENTS
© This publication contains of cial information. It should be treated with discretion by the recipient.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Corps and the Publisher. Any opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily re ect the policy and views, of cial or otherwise of the MoD, Army or Corps.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the editor or publisher. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this magazine can be accepted by the publishers or printers and all advertisements are included in good faith.
Published on behalf of the Corps by Crest Publications, 1 Rothwell Grange Court, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northants NN16 8FB.
Telephone: 01536 317000 Email: jayne@crestpublications.com
CHIRON CALLING 1