Page 217 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
the subject as he escaped from the patrol, successfully detained him without incident and handed him over to the local civilian police. It was a calculated act of consid- erable bravery against a highly dangerous opponent.
The situation worsened and on 24th April 1998, a full-scale riot erupted in Drvar, concentrated around a compound in which Serbs were sheltering. Lance Corporal Carnegie again with Sam, and a second dog handler, deployed first to the scene. The position they found was desperate. Rioters had gained access to the compound, shots had been fired and the danger to life was considerable. The situation was critical, requiring immediate and decisive action. Lance Corporal Carnegie made ready his pistol and instructed the other handler to do the same. With considerable difficulty both handlers forced their way through to the main building in the compound. Later, finding himself on his own, Lance Corporal Carnegie stood at the entrance to the buildings and with Sam single-handedly stopped the rioters from gaining access, holding them back for sufficient time to allow other elements of 1 RCR to reach the scene. The mob, armed with crow bars and throwing a variety of missiles, was in an angry mood, intent upon inflicting injury or worse on the terrified Serbs sheltering in the upper storeys of the building. Attempts were being made to set the building on fire. Undaunted, Lance Corporal Carnegie stood fast, resolute and determined in the face of great personal danger. Having handed over his post to Canadian reinforcements he made his way back into the building and patrolled the ground floor, successfully deploying Sam to force back all attempts at intrusion. This he continued to do until the general situation was brought under control.”
In addition to LCpl Carnegie’s actions being recognised, those of his dog, Sam, a German Shepherd, were honoured with the PDSA Dickin Medal – the animals’ Victoria Cross – on 14th January 2003, at a special ceremony at the Former Army Staff College, Camberley. Sam’s Medal citation reads:
“For outstanding gallantry in April 1998 while assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment in Drvar during the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. On two documented occasions Sam displayed great courage and devotion to duty. On 18th April 1998, Sam successfully brought down an armed man threatening the lives of civilians and Service personnel. On 24th April 1998, while guarding a compound harbouring Serbian refugees, Sam’s determined approached held off rioters until reinforcements arrived. This dog’s true valour saved the lives of many servicemen and civilians during this time of human conflict.”
At this stage in the conflict the AES dog teams were really showing their worth. In accompa- nying the Canadian Engineers, the dogs searched the vacated flats and very quickly one of the team gave a positive indication which turned out to be a mortar cleaning kit. The recovery of this vital piece of equipment was clear proof to the Canadians, if more proof was needed, of the operational effec- tiveness of the team.
The hearts and minds element of this deployment for the Corps was displayed again in July 1998 when WO2 Richard Pope RAVC deployed to Bosnia with a farrier to support a G5 project with the aim of improving the care of working horses. The powers of communication and persuasion were very much put to the test in a country where the people displayed great pride in their work and family. It’s true to say that they did not take kindly to being told, when necessary, that what they were doing was wrong.8
A keen and constant awareness of the volatility of the environment was essential for any soldier in Bosnia. Few things were as they seemed and nothing could be taken for granted. That is why, during the common local elections, there was an increased need for the skills of the AES dog teams. One of those teams was LCpl Sammy Peters and her dog “Paddy” who deployed from Germany in August 1998. One of their first duties was a search of the Koševo City Stadium in Sarajevo where Paddy discovered a cache of munitions that may have been left over from the conflict or maybe hidden away for a separate, sinister purpose sometime later.
2000 – Forward Thinking:
In the year 2000, over 30% of available RAVC personnel were deployed on Operational duties in Europe. As for the Corps’ commitment to Bosnia, it was announced that the British Army would provide support to the Balkans for the foreseeable future as part of a 20 year plan which made resources immediately available to involved Units. The RAVC Dog Unit saw the benefits of this plan in the shape of improved facilities, new buildings and the winterisation of the kennels at Banja Luka.
A priority for the RAVC was a re-think of the dogs’ accommodation, an on-going subject of deliberation since the team first arrived in Bosnia. A design was submitted to the RE to convert ISO containers to kennelling for four dogs. The modified containers were to be equipped with air-conditioning, heating and indoor and outdoor
8 Chiron Calling article ‘Update from Germany’ Winter 1997/1998.
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