Page 262 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
instruct the Botswana Defence Force on foot care with FQMS Bell returning once the programme was established and operational. Finally, The Botswana Defence Force was to send some of its officers from the relevant units to the DAC to view dog and equine operations.15
Kenya – 1997
Africa, its undeniable beauty and majesty always in contrast with the inescapable security issues – a factor affecting the country’s animals as well as its people. In the summer 1998 issue of Chiron Calling, Staff Sergeant Roger Tredwell RAVC recorded his time assisting with a vital anti-poaching exercise in his contribution Combating the Poachers:
Around October 1997 LAND Command was approached by Mr Simon Marrott, from Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy and asked whether the British Army could sell them two Tracker dogs to help catch some of the poachers that were killing the elephants and rhinos. There was also a request for the RAVC to train the handlers in the use of Tracker dogs.
Lt Col Dougie Macdonald RAVC LAND Command contacted the Defence Animal Centre to ascertain if any Tracker dogs were available that could be donated to Lewa Downs. At the time Northern Ireland was drawing down the number of Tracker dogs held in the Province, due to the Royal Ulster Constabulary undertaking more of the tracking tasks. Two Tracker dogs were identified as being available – Murphy a four-year-old yellow Labrador and Bonnie a four-year-old GSD. I was given the task of bringing the dogs back up to Operational standard and, also, to make sure that the export/import licence, and all other paperwork, was ready so that we could move the dogs to Kenya in February 1998.
Cpl Alec Bates RAVC from ADU NI RAVC and I flew to Kenya with the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment on Ex GRAND PRIX. We staged at Nairobi (BATLSK) on the first night to allow us to pick up stores that we would qualify for during our stay. Also, a Land Rover that we would keep for the whole period to give us maximum mobility and enable us to train the teams in all types of terrain when tracking poachers.
On 17th of February, we moved up to Nanyuki (NSG) to pick up rations for the period of our stay and to have the Land Rover checked. Due to the bad road conditions, vehicles have to be checked every time they return to camp. The next day we moved onto Lewa Downs where we were met by Mr Simon Marrott and Mike Watson, who briefed us on the Lewa Downs Operation and what was hoped we could achieve with the Tracker dogs. We were then taken to our accommodation and the dog kennels. This was temporary whilst permanent kennels, and accommodation for the handlers and the armed
15 Chiron Calling Winter 1997 ‘Botswana Revisited’ by Col Andrew H Roache.
security men, was being built.
On 19th February we were introduced to the four
handlers and the interpreter, John Pameri. He was also the armed escort. The handlers were Joseph Mugambi Mwitiari, Kariksi Senterie, whom both handled Murphy, and Riman Kiperus Seremper and Lawrence Mwenda Joseph who both handled Bonnie.
We started off by showing the handlers the dogs on a short track, handled by myself, just to give the handlers an idea of what Tracker dogs can do. On the theory side of the course, we instructed on basic dog First Aid, standards of efficiency of the dog and handlers, capabil- ities and limitations, scent picture, plus pre-track information and briefing back-up personnel and, finally, continuation training. On the practical side we showed them how to cast the dog on a track, how to read the dog when it is on/off track, how to read the dog when it’s approaching its quarry.
Over the following six weeks the handlers all carried out two tracks each day, four tracks per dog each day. The distance varied from 2km to 10km per dog. We also trained on varying terrain including woodland, grassland, dusty rocky areas...all types of area that they would encounter while tracking poachers. We also had to get the dogs acclimatised to the heat and get them used to working on the dusty tracks and rocky areas that they were not used to.
All four lads adapted well to this new task – bearing in mind that in the UK people who go on a Tracker dog handlers’ course must have already handled dogs i.e., Patrol dogs for at least six to twelve months. In Kenya, the handlers had never handled dogs before, only one could speak English, and we had only six weeks to train them. Furthermore, they had to build a relationship with the dog, which is not normally done in Kenya. This meant it would take longer than normal but the handlers worked hard at it and formed a very good bond with the dogs.
We managed to get a full week extension on the training. This allowed us to train the handlers and the armed patrolmen to a much higher standard in the use of Tracker dogs. One of the hardest things to get the handler to do was to trust the dogs and not to ‘visually’ track, something they have all been trained to do from childhood tracking their stolen cattle. All four lads are now very competent Tracker dog handlers and worked very hard to pass the course which they all succeeded in doing.
Some of the Operational tasks that were carried out while Corporal Bates and I were in Kenya included:
Task A. Tasked to follow a track of two-three persons who stole some galvanised sheets from one of the water pumping stations at the west end of the Lewa Downs Conservancy. The team tracked for about 500 metres then lost it at the side of the road.
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