Page 290 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
The present arrangements work well, so leave them alone. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it – a good message for a Conservative Government.”9
This was the spirit of a full decade of internal wrangling, one upmanship and a never-ending series of studies and trials for example:
The Securicor Pilot Trial10 (1983) objective was to civilianise the training of Army working dogs, in essence a cost cutting exercise, all part of the perennial battle for the survival of the RAVC from the machinations of the War Office mandarins. The trial involved a six-month experimental period followed by a six-month post-trial analysis. As stipulated by the RAVC, a total of forty-eight dogs were to be trained, as well as their handlers, in the guarding role. All in all, the trial was a failure for a number of reasons highlighted in RAVC corre- spondence.11
Specifically, the training area (North Weald, Brentwood, Essex) was unsatisfactory being too small, lacked obstacles and was further blighted by constant disruptions by local dog walkers, light aircraft noise, driver training and horse riders. Within the Corps the trial was unpopular, a fact exemplified by a memo dictated by Lt Col Stacker Chief G3 (Trg /TA) HQ NI to the MOD expressing ‘his disappointment that a civilian organisation was to be used in the training of guard dogs and their handlers.’12 At the close of the trial period, only five dogs had been accepted into the Corps, the rest being disqualified for several reasons, including temperament or physical disability etc. To rub salt in the wound, the majority of the handlers did not meet the required standards when independently assessed by the RAVC.
Part of the agreement was to provide a designated quota of trained dogs to the Army – this was not happening. Consequently, 1 ADTU BAOR was 22% below establishment. The whole process was finally knocked on the head with the conclusion, ‘decision not to proceed, in the long term, with commercial training of military dogs and handlers.’13
The drastic proposals fell apart in 1983. The test trial of civilian dog handling proved a failure, and further studies found that moving the equine facilities was either impractical or more expensive, or both.
There were further studies undertaken, specifi- cally on dogs, in 1983, 1984 and 1985 and the issues
presented to Parliament. In 1985 a decision was announced to Parliament by Lord Trefgarne and the Member for Pendle (Mr John Lee), who was then Junior Minister for Defence Procurement. On 9th July 1985, the Minister announced that all Service dogs would be trained at RAF Newton by 1989, but under the command of an RAVC officer. He added that the equine activities would remain unchanged at Melton and there were no plans to transfer these functions to any other location in the foreseeable future. He added that the Army was grateful to the people of Melton Mowbray for their support of the RAVC and the pride that they had shown by granting the Corps the Freedom of the Borough in 1977. The Minister said: “We look forward to the continuance of this happy relationship.” – [Official Report, 9th July 1985, Vol. 82, c.404.]
The show of muscle and pride from the RAVC and the RAF was commendable but it was the Civil Servants who were drawing and re-drawing the lines of battle throughout the 1980s that caused the most angst for everyone. The fight was on for the Melton Mowbray military estate, and the gloves were off. The media entered the fray. An article by the Defence Correspondent of The Sunday Times, John Witherow, (on 13th July 1986) best sums-up the tense situation and strong feelings at that time.
The Sunday Times14
Army and RAF Unleash a War on Kennel Plan
A dog fight has broken out in the Ministry of Defence between the RAF and the Army over plans to merge two military schools in the Midlands which train all the sniffer and patrol dogs for the Armed Forces.
The services are now at each other’s throats after a secret report was produced last month by the Ministry challenging an earlier decision to move the Army dogs from Melton Mowbray, near Leicester, to RAF Newton in Nottinghamshire.
Accusations are flying that the Army has used dirty tricks to ensure the report is sceptical of the proposed move. One RAF source said: “The Army is very frightened that this move will reduce their influence. If I was in their position I would be fighting just as hard – but not as dirtily.”
The Defence Ministry inquiry, which was headed by a civil servant, questions the £1M which is estimated would be saved by the merger and
9 Taken from ‘Hansard’ – Royal Army Veterinary Corps Melton Mowbray debated in the House of Commons, Wednesday 26th July 1989, Mr Michael Latham MP for Rutland and Melton.
10 D/DAVRS/6/10 Securicor Pilot Trial.
11 Ibid – Correspondence dated 31st March 1983.
12 Ibid – Correspondence dated 22nd April 1983.
13 Ibid – Minute D/DS/20/34/13 dated 3rd November1983.
14 The Sunday Times dated 13th July 1986 by John Witherow Defence Correspondent.
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