Page 181 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
respect for the Unit went hand-in-hand with pride in their dogs.
1973
It would be wrong to go beyond this point without drawing attention to the events of July 1973. From Chiron Calling of September 1973.11 “Since its formation in May 1973, ADU RAVC has experienced both joy and sadness. Our joy was occasioned by the announcements at the beginning of July ‘73 that Sgt ‘Sticks’ Knight had been awarded a Mention in Dispatches and Cpl Bryan Criddle a British Empire Medal in recognition of their sterling work in NI. Alas, our joy was short lived. On 18th July, Cpl Bryan Criddle was very seriously injured by a terrorist bomb blast and immediately admitted to the Musgrave Park Hospital (MPH). Bryan died four days later without regaining consciousness. On 27th July, Bryan was buried with full military honours at his home village of Blockley in Gloucestershire. Driver Todd, one of our E2 specialist handlers, was admitted to the MPH on 20th July after suffering eye and facial injuries from another bomb blast. As if that was not enough, Sgt Rolfe Morris RAVC, and Cpl Bob Scott RPC, were caught in a bomb blast in Londonderry on 28th July resulting in both being admitted to hospital. On admission, Cpl Scott was placed on the ‘seriously ill’ list – his injuries resulted in the loss of his left eye. He later went on sick leave while Rolfe Morris fully recovered from his injuries.”
The nature of the fatal injuries sustained by Cpl Bryan Criddle BEM RAVC, prompted a strong request to the Equipment Developers for head and neck protection for AES Handlers. HQNI authorised the request and on 26th July 1973 – the day before Bryan’s funeral – for a helmet and visor to be issued to all Search and Tracker handlers. Previously, only bomb disposal officers had been issued with these items at that time.12 It was a landmark decision that highlighted the extreme conditions that ADU NI dogs and handlers were being exposed to every day.
Prison Duties
In May 1976, Phil Hobson was posted to ADU NI RAVC as a Sergeant in charge of two Protection Dog sections at the Long Kesh Prison. He had Section B (known as “The best of the rest”) and D (affectionately known as the “Loveable Rogues”). Sgt John Corbin was in charge of Sections A and C (who didn’t go with nicknames).
11 Chiron Calling Issue No 2 dated 29th September 1973.
12 DDAVRS HQ NI document dated July 1973.
Section B were always immaculate in both turnout and condition of their dogs and equipment. Section D, however, were nowhere near the same standard in ‘human’ turnout, always putting more effort into the presentation of their dogs.
As previously mentioned, Long Kesh held paramilitary prisoners from all terrorist groups. Defined by a high wall with watch towers and a series of inner perimeter fences, the prison was sectioned into numbered compounds – each allocated to a specific terrorist group – comprised of a collection of Nissen huts providing accommo- dation, rest areas and workshops. Each compound was surrounded by a 6ft high wire fence, crowned with barbed wire. The main kennels of ADU NI RAVC were situated within these stark and secure walls next to the prisoners’ kitchen – another high wire fence separating the two areas.
One day whilst in his office at the kennels, Sgt Hobson heard someone blowing a whistle and immediately leaped up to the window to check it out. Moving the blinds aside he saw a prisoner standing in the Emergency Exit doorway to the kitchen. A few seconds later, one of the dog handlers appeared and the prisoner ran down to the fence for a short conversation before both men dashed back to where they came from. While Sgt Hobson took a second to wonder what on earth was going on, he heard the whistle blow again and this time he saw two prisoners carrying a sack of potatoes from the kitchen down to the fence, then hurl it over to a waiting dog handler who stealthily delivered their ‘payment’ of a handful of cigarettes!
For some time, Sgt Phil Hobson had wondered why, when D Section were getting ready to deploy to Magilligan Prison, they needed an extra 4-tonne truck to take their dogs and equipment. The answer was – potatoes, but why? It turned out that D Section preferred to cook for themselves as opposed to eating in the resident battalion cookhouse. The potato deal with the prisoners was highly illegal, but ingenious all the same.
Talking to veterans, it seems the Dog Unit was never short of the odd cunning plan... or two.
Once again, it was while Sgt Hobson and D Section were deployed to Magilligan, in September 1976, that the new Red Paw Unit flag arrived along with a letter from the OC ADU NI RAVC Major Bill Berridge. His instructions simply read: “I want to see this flying by the time of my visit this Sunday.”
This presented one slight problem – there was no flagpole within the Dog Section compound.
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