Page 294 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
site’s existence in the community.
Pride in the history of the RAVC and its Melton
home meant the Corps and its supporters were not ready or willing to pack away their warpaint anytime soon. With everything still worth fighting for, the RAVC entered the 1990s with hope for continued glory.
PART TWO
Train with the Best – Defence Animal Centre Monday 1st April 1991 was a significant date in the history of the RAVC as it saw the end of the named Corps at Melton Mowbray. This date marked the formation of the Defence Animal Centre (DAC), and so the amalgamation of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps Training Centre and the Dog Training Squadron of the Royal Air Force Police Dog School. An idea that had been moved around between the MOD and the two Services for so long had finally come to rest, to the RAVC’s relief – at Melton Mowbray.
The DAC’s principal job was defined as follows: to provide Military Working Animals for different roles and to varying levels, to provide training for personnel to handle, to manage and care for animals and to provide veterinary health programmes including veterinary support. All eyes were on the DAC to provide, train and to support MWAs
Diagram of Army Fields after the Asfordby ‘The Mine Road’ had been constructed circa mid 1980s.
for: The Royal Navy, The Army, The Royal Air Force, The Ministry of Defence Police, Ministry of Defence Guard Service, HM Customs and Excise, HM Immigration Service, HM Prison Service, HM Police Force and Overseas Governments. And when it came to training, the DAC provided year-round instruction for individuals for those destined to maintain and handle Military Working Animals. It had been a long-standing belief within the RAVC that a significant element of their remit was always “training the trainers”. This was to ensure continuity and the ability to stay in-line or ahead of clear and present dangers – teaching those who will provide continuation training, monitor and maintain standards.
Falling alongside that, and also included in the DAC’s remit, was responsibility for contrib- uting to doctrine and policy through research and development of methods for improving and expanding the use of MWAs.
The DAC, as an entity, was a Joint Service Unit (JSU), managed by the Army through the budgetary control of the Inspector General Doctrine and Training, HQ UKLF. In short, it was, the culmination of many years of MOD study into finding a long-term policy for service animal training and the announcement of a Ministerial decision, in 1990, that the Army should take the lead. And, crucially for the RAVC, Melton Mowbray would remain as the prime base for the Centre. On its formation, all assets of the RAVC Centre passed to the DAC along with the Police Dog Training from RAF Newton.
The Commandant RAVC Centre assumed command of the DAC with an establishment of two hundred and thirty-seven Officers and Other Ranks and civilian personnel, plus some four hundred and fifty animals. The Deputy Commandant was an RAF Officer who enjoyed the appointment of OC RAF Police Training School and was largely concerned with those aspects of DAC activity that reflected on RAF dog interests. Some sixty members of the Centre lived and worked at RAF Newton, where the Joint Services Dog Training Wing (JSDW) Newton remained. The Newton Wing at this time concentrated on the training of Patrol and Drug Detection dogs while the JSDW, Melton trained Guard, Security, Police, AES, Trackers, Sweep and other types of detection dogs as required.
While the Centre retained four main divisions of activity – HQ, Canine, Veterinary and Equine – over the 365-acre site, the Veterinary Division provided cover for all DAC animals as well as sponsoring the Joint Services Dog Procurement
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