Page 255 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
CHAPTER 16
RAVC Assistance to Foreign Governments: Global Support
The creation of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1931 was a proud achievement to emerge from Britain’s Colonial past. Over the decades it has grown in size and stature to a membership of 54 countries, bringing together 2.4 billion people and cultures from every corner of the globe. The RAVC’s unique skills, depth of knowledge and unstinting versatility have, over the years, assist- ed many of these countries in training and on Op- erations dependent on the unique capabilities of Military Working Dogs.
The military and police forces of other nations have always called on the expertise and experience of the RAVC. It was the British Army’s successful use of dogs in the Malayan Emergency and the conflict in Borneo that prompted the United States Army to approach for advice in the 1960s. The US Army was aware that it lacked both the expertise and suitable dogs in its ranks and so reached out to the British regarding the acquisition of Patrol and Tracker dogs and knowledge surrounding the training of handlers.1
A meeting was convened at HQ FARELF (Far East Land Forces), Singapore on 7th November 1966. Those gathered included personnel from FARELF, the Jungle Warfare School, 2 Working Dog Training Unit, the US Army, a ‘Kiwi’ Lieutenant from the New Zealand SAS and a US Civilian Liaison Officer. The outcome was a provisional agreement to supply and train fourteen teams for the US Army.
In 1967 a team comprising Captain Donald Hall-Smith RAVC and four Officers, and NCOs from the SAS, proceeded to Fort Gordon, Georgia in the USA to instruct US personnel, and their dogs, and to establish a Tracker dog training wing. This training programme was to be the first of its kind for the US Army giving instruction in the techniques of visual tracking and the use of Tracker dogs in combat and Tracker teams in
Army Operations.2 Over the following two and a half years, sixty Tracker dog handlers were trained by the RAVC in the US.3 The dogs trained were deployed to the war in Vietnam.
Requests for assistance in other countries varied greatly, as the following examples testify. Inspector Stevens of the Northern Rhodesian police attended a course at the School of Farriery from 28th February – 23rd July 1965.4 Lt A Daniya, Nigerian Army attended and passed Army Saddle Club Course – 25th July – 4th September 1965, and No 19 Army Equitation Course – 2nd October – 6th April 1966.5 And Lt Minayhill of the Emperor of Ethiopia’s bodyguard attended a course in stable management at RAVC Training Depot 3rd October – 3rd December 1965.6
The demands for the RAVC ’s expertise continued into the 1970s and ‘80s: Correspondence from the Burmese Military (1976) related to the procurement of ‘ten chargers’; the Belize Defence Force (1978) purchased dogs and muzzles through the RAVC; the Philippine Constabulary (1980) investigated the use of Explosive Search Dogs and handlers, which they eventually utilised to train the Indigenous police dogs and handlers. Enquiries also came in from the Portuguese Army (1981) ‘seeking advice in order to update their veterinary services on the basis of the RAVC model’ and from the Norwegian Army (1981) relating to the effects of CS Gas on animals.7
RAVC personnel were, once again, in worldwide demand.
Nepal – 1988
During 1988, Sgt Chris Ham RAVC from HK DASU RAVC, was sent to Nepal to advise the Royal Nepal Police Dog Section at Kathmandu. The small section had formed twelve years earlier to assist in the investigation of crime and although it was a very small force, it was, nonetheless important to
1 A/BR/37/D. Provision of specialist war dogs to the US Army.
2 The Journal of The Royal Army Veterinary Corps Volume 39 No 2 Summer 1968.
3 The Journal of The Royal Army Veterinary Corps Volume 40 (Supplement) Spring 1969.
4 DAVRS Historical Record.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 D/DAVRS/3/8. Training Assistance to Foreign Governments.
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