Page 293 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
School, but it also contributed towards greater efficiency in trained dog production.20
A great deal of money must have been spent on investigating the possibilities of rationalising dog training, after all, the ideas had undergone twelve separate investigations since the first in 1966 through the 1980s. To many, there seemed no end to the push from the MOD to destroy what the RAVC had working very well in Melton. In the following extract it can be seen how hard and passionately the battle was fought by Rutland and Melton’s Member of Parliament, Mr Michael Latham, to maintain the presence of the RAVC on its military estate in Melton Mowbray: [Mr Michael Latham, Rutland and Melton 11:55 pm, 26th July 1989]
“My Hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam, Mr Patnick, who is a newly appointed Whip, has earned his money tonight.
I am glad to have this opportunity to debate the future of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in Melton Mowbray. The debate is especially relevant now because, if certain ideas floating around the Ministry of Defence (MOD) were to be accepted by Ministers, the RAVC, Melton Mowbray, would have no future at all. As I have told three successive Defence Ministers – I welcome my Hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces to the debate-the RAVC has long believed that some officials in the MOD have for many years wanted to close the operation at Melton Mowbray, and have not hesitated to say who they are. I look to my Hon. Friend to ensure that such fears are groundless.
I say to the Minister in the most unmistakable terms that the RAVC is an integral part of Melton Mowbray. It has been there with the horses as a Remount Centre since 1903 and has been continually used for horses since that time. The Army Dog Training School, which was already under RAVC command, has been in Melton Mowbray since 1946. The current facilities in
MeltonMowbrayaretheArmyVeterinaryHospital which deals with all horse and dog surgery in the Army. It has facilities for hospitalising twenty-four horses and seven ill dogs. It has custom-built equine and canine operating theatres, with all the necessary support facilities, as well as an equine and canine radiographic and medical treatment complex.
The average daily in-patient figures last summer were ten horses and four dogs, and a further ten horses and six dogs were treated daily as
out-patients. That excludes routine inspections, vaccinations, or radiography. The Army School of Equitation trains equitation instructors, supervisors for mounted units and, of course, the horses. There are extensive stabling provisions, an indoor riding school and facilities for field and obstacle exercises, many of which have been extensively refurbished in the last five years. Training courses continue virtually all year.
The Army School of Farriery was purpose- built in 1962 and is recognised as one of the best teaching facilities in Europe. It trains Army farriers and also shoes the Army’s horses. The remount’s depot at Melton Mowbray deals each year with sixty to seventy young, unbroken, or partially broken horses which are purchased by the Army. They are put to grass in Melton Mowbray and vaccinated and become accustomed to being handled before being passed to regiments such as the Household Cavalry or the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. Sick or tired horses also receive rest and recuperation at grass at Melton.
Of course, there is also the Dog School. It supports one thousand two hundred and nineteen Army-trained dogs worldwide, of which 20 per cent require to be replaced each year. The School trains both dogs and their handlers. More than five hundred and fifty student handlers and between two hundred and forty and two hundred and sixty dogs are trained each year. However, the staffing establishment remains small. The military personnel at Melton Mowbray are currently one hundred and thirty-five, of whom fifty-three are members of the Women’s Royal Army Corps. There are thirty-three civilians. Among the facilities available is free access, for the Army, to 40,000 acres of commercial property and surrounding farmland, including many public and private premises in the town. These spaces are made freely and willingly available by local people for specialised dog training.
Within the camp there is a purpose-built RYPE village on a 10-acre site, with a security fence, for training in arms and explosives searches. There are also 250 acres available for dog training within the estate. Quite deliberately, horses, cattle and sheep are kept grazing there, as that is an essential part of Army dog training. Much dog training, of all types has taken place at the RARDE Gun Range at Asfordby, approximately 5.5 kilometres (just over three miles) west of Melton Mowbray...” The MP continued in this vein, not for a second holding back on his praise for the Corps or in acknowledging the importance of the military
20 Chiron Calling dated May 1988.
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