Page 113 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
In 1880 the Army Veterinary School was opened there, to serve as both a training establishment and a centre of veterinary research. In those days, horses were the nation’s most economically important animals and the Army one of the main users. The ‘School’ was a major research institute. Among these other achievements, it not only produced Mallein for the control of Equine Glanders, but it was also responsible for producing the human Smallpox vaccine. Also, in the Garrison, was one of the Army’s largest equine hospitals which, later, stabled horses from 160 Provost Company RMP horses. In time the ‘School’s’ function changed, and it became the RAVC Laboratory and Stores.
The move of the Directorate therefore continued the long and historic association of the Corps with Aldershot. Aldershot was a convenient location for HQ DAVRS whose duties frequently required the Director and his staff to visit MOD Branches in London and at that time HQ UK Land Forces at Wilton. The long association with Droitwich, though pleasant, was no longer in keeping with the needs of the Service. From Aldershot it was easy to reach London within one hour and Wilton in two.28
The Corps was very fortunate that the former Army Veterinary School remained at that time in its original surroundings to house both the Directorate and (from 1987) the RAVC Support Group. The Directorate occupied the first floor of the old ‘School’. The conversion of the floor which previously housed the Corps Museum was carried out to a very high standard that endeavoured to maintain the Victorian character of the building. The result was one of the most attractive military office suites.
On 1st November 1987 the RAVC Laboratory and Stores became the RAVC Support Group. This completed the policy initiated by Brigadier RJ Clifford, DAVRS to ensure the Corps unit titles aptly state their purpose and function in the modern Army.29 The RAVC Support Group title reflecting its role supporting animal holding Units and the base for all RAVC functions in Southern England.
Located, like its predecessor, in Thornhill Lines, Aldershot, the Support Group was primarily responsible for the inspection and validation of the technical standards of animals held by Units on the UK mainland and to provide advice and veterinary support. The Veterinary Services Inspection Team
28 Chiron Calling dated November 1987.
29 Chiron Calling dated November 1987.
30 Chiron Calling ‘Spotlight on Aldershot’ dated Winter 1995/6.
31 Chiron Calling ‘A View from RAVC Sp Group’ dated Winter 1998/9.
(Technical) and the Veterinary Services Inspection Team (Veterinary) endeavoured to provide the ‘customer ’ with what they needed which could be wide ranging considering that there were around one hundred and twenty dog holding Units with seven hundred dogs of various classifications, handled by a variety of cap badges for which VSIT were responsible.
From a small pool of Specialist Dog Teams under command, the Support Group provided Search dogs for specific tasks. Typical Search taskings included the Conservative Party Conference, the Royal Tournament and several searches at various MOD establishments. And demand was reported to be on the increase. The dog teams were also tasked to support military Exercises when the Operational support programme permitted. All this achieved with a small complement of personnel consisting of an OC, two WO2s and two JNCOs who provided high quality technical evaluation and support to the many Dog Sections around the UK and overseas. They were kept very busy and, as always, the Corps maintained the necessary versatility and agility in their approach to the varied and often exhausting tasks.
It was also within the Support Group’s remit to monitor the needs of the customer and endeavour to identify areas for future development regarding the use of MWDs. One initiative at that time in which the Support Group played an active role, was the setting up of a trial involving dogs to support the Training Team Brunei. This, in turn, triggered the re-establishment of Infantry Patrol and Tracker Dogs as an important adjunct to jungle warfare. Unlike many environments in which dogs were deployed, the challenges of the jungle have remained pretty much the same over the years – humidity, leeches, ants and snakes were the usual suspects and always the most unfavourable aspects of a close country environ- ment.30
The Pharmacy also continued to provide a high standard of care to the ‘mature’ MWD population, both at the coalface and at the Support Group. The Specialist Section, which comprised of two AES teams, were active providing Search assistance to the civil authorities, mainly for Party Political Conferences, various Military Police agencies, for the Sovereign’s parade at RMAS, and SIB inves- tigations. There was also the ever-increasing number of requests for MWD to attend Exercises and awareness lectures and demonstrations.31
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