Page 216 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
troops and numerous helicopter landing pads – all of which needed to be guarded and protected. The task fell to the RAVC to manage the Dog Section but it could not provide nearly enough handlers.
Handlers were drawn from the Regiments on tour. The numbers were further augmented by RAF Regiment handlers who were trained in theatre – much to the annoyance of the RAF Police (RAFP). However, the RAF Regiment handlers were, understandably, later replaced by RAFP. Another useful source of handlers was E2 Territorial Army personnel who were mobilised and also trained – partly in theatre and partly at Melton Mowbray, giving them what could be considered a best of both worlds experience.
It was during April 1998, that the Multi Divisional assets of the RAVC Dog Section were tasked to support Op PADDINGTON with D Company 1 Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR) in the town of Titov Drvar. Prior to the war, the town had an ethnically mixed population of approxi- mately nine thousand inhabitants, however as the conflict progressed it was taken by the Croatian Army (HV) and then, in December 1995, handed over to the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). Almost immediately, displaced Bosnian Croats from Serbian and Muslim controlled towns started moving in giving Titov Drvar a new identity – 95% Bosnian Croat. The house burnings increased and neighbourhood tensions ran high in an effort to dissuade displaced Serbians from returning.
Two thousand HVO soldiers, and some of their families, had been stationed in the area known as WH 153 – a site that comprised three residential blocks of flats and a former school complex. The Croat Defence Council forces were instructed to move out of WH153 to allow the displaced Serbian personnel to return – the UNHCR having identified former Serbian residents of the flats who wished to return to their homes. It was the respon- sibility of SFOR elements to maintain a secure environment in and around WH153, while this move out of the Croat Defence Council took place and the Serbians re-occupied. The time frame for the exchange had to be kept to a minimum for security reasons and the tasking completed with sensitivity with every effort made to reassure and protect as the move was made.
The Serbians arrived in sufficient numbers to allow them to provide their own security, however, reassurance and deterrence patrols were conducted for as long as it felt necessary. Almost immediately the RAVC personnel who deployed to the enclave liaised with the OC D Company of the 1 RCR, it became apparent that the Canadian
Armed Forces did not have any form of MWD support. Consequently, there was little to no understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the Operational deployment of MWDs. It was up to the RAVC to quickly arrange an ad hoc demonstration that proved to be beneficial to all concerned, not least in establishing confidence in the MWD capability and a closer working relationship between the two Units.
During the Operation, Protection dogs were deployed on high-profile patrols where they proved to be an effective deterrent against intruders attempting to breach the boundary perimeter. The Protection dogs were also used to support military patrols within the town. There, the mere presence of the dogs was enough to deter any further acts of aggression in the wake of the murder of two Serbs by rival factions.
There were other incidents involving public disorder but they were effectively quelled by the timely presence of the Protection dogs in support of friendly forces. They also repelled unwanted access to the designated protected areas. The call on the dogs was ongoing in this lengthy Operation and it became apparent that the RAVC could not sustain the workforce required. In response, D Coy 1 RCR offered six volunteers to take on the Protection dog handling duties a move that resulted in 1 RCR personnel being trained in handling RAVC MWDs.
The call on the dogs and handlers continued relentlessly in this volatile situation.
For his actions in one incident at Titov Drvar, LCpl Iain Carnegie RAVC was awarded a Mention in Dispatches. The citation reads:
“Lance Corporal Iain Carnegie is a serving dog handler with the RAVC Dog Unit Multinational Division (South West). From 13th April to 2nd May 1998, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment in Drvar. The situation was highly volatile. Tension was high, strident rhetoric inflamed local perceptions and sporadic violence and arson were commonplace. Soon after his arrival, the situation deteriorated rapidly and Lance Corporal Carnegie deployed with his dog on many occasions. Two particular incidents, during which he displayed courage and professionalism of the highest order, stand out.
On 18th April shots were reported in Drvar. A patrol from 1 RCR was dispatched to investigate and pursued a man armed with a pistol into a local bar. Lance Corporal Carnegie and his dog “Sam” were called to the scene to assist. The patrol commander assessed that the man was in an unstable state, probably drunk and fully prepared to use his weapon again. Despite great personal risk, Lance Corporal Carnegie chased
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