Page 37 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
O’Flynn with his dog “Sam” lost only seven points and not surprisingly, this high scoring took the British team into an overall lead. The Bundeswehr Training School did well, losing only three points; but the others were further back and, while all the dogs were all extremely fit, the same could not be said of all the handlers. One team failed to complete the course and was eliminated.25
The final positions in the competition were:
1st 1 ADTU RAVC LCpl Ham with Squire and Cpl O’Flynn with “Sam”.
2nd Bundeswehr Training Scholl Herr Katter with “Max” and Herr Hemming with “Farouk”.
3rd German Police School POM Draheim with “Mirko” and PHW Deupzmann with “Hero”.
Commemoration rosettes were presented to all competitors by Major General W R Taylor, Chief of Staff, HQ BAOR.
Enter the 1980s in Sennelager:
International events and competitions were an integral part of life for members of the Corps stationed in Germany, and that involved the veterinary personnel too. In July 1981, an exchange programme saw a US Army veterinarian join 1 ADTU for a two-year posting to the Veterinary Hospital.26
For the dog handlers, Ex LIONHEART got underway on 3rd September 1984 and continued until 5th October. Overall, it was the biggest troop movement since the Second World War and was the first phase of the huge Operation Ex FULL FLOW which tested the rush of Units to reinforce and support 1st British Corps. In the second phase, Ex SPEARPOINT, 1st (BR) Corps and elements of the German Panzer Division, with Dutch and American Brigades took part in the Army’s largest field training exercise in Germany since the last war. Together, the two Exercises formed Ex LIONHEART, the most comprehensive test of Britain’s commitment to the defence of Western Europe. A total of one hundred and thirty-one thousand troops were involved, over fifty thousand of them had to move from the UK to deployment areas in Germany, and with them were fourteen thousand, five hundred vehicles and trailers, as well as the mobilisation and transport of thirty-five thousand TA personnel.
SPEARPOINT was centred on Hildesheim, Bielefeld, and Paderborn during September 1984 where the ‘enemy’ was provided mainly by the 1st German Panzer Division. During the Exercises there was a display of the full range of logistic
activity, including the distribution of ammo, engineer stores and vehicles and the re-supply of formations with combat supplies. Medical services were fully tested for a speedy evacuation and treatment of Exercise casualties.
Not only did the unit title change in 1985 – to BAOR DASU RAVC – but the role and function of the RAVC in BAOR, changed too, or rather it developed and expanded significantly, with increasing involvement and connections with NATO allies and other friendly nations. The primary tasks of training handlers, British and MSO, and providing trained dog teams together with the provision of veterinary care to Army animals, remained paramount. The dog teams to be provided were Guard, Security, Tracker, Drug and AES. The latter two classifications were employed mainly in conjunction with the RMP in the drug intelligence and close protection of VVIPs roles respectively; the latter having assumed greater importance due to the increase in terrorist activity.
Once again, after another change of title, the Unit retained some concern for the horses. Army horses with the Blues and Royals based in Sennelager, and the Saddle Clubs, were scattered across BAOR.
The raising and training of the new Continental TA Unit BAOR DASU (V), together with the regular elements of the RAVC provided a cornerstone for the Unit’s planned role in TTW and actual war. Members of the TA participated in several Exercises and gained the respect of user Units through their enthusiasm and expertise. The RAVC’s involvement with NATO allies was both exciting and rewarding. Among the other dog user agencies, the Corps enjoyed close contact with the US Army and Air Forces, German Army, Civil Police and Border Guards as well as the Danish and Belgian Air Forces, French Army and Dutch Police.
Links with US Forces in Europe were close and long standing in both canine and veterinary matters. Similarly, the Unit had good relations with the Bundeswehr veterinary services and had assisted in solving the problem of disposing of animal products brought into West Germany as components of meals provided on board troop-carrying aircraft for the Allied Forces.
A public demonstration of the Unit’s Interna- tional interests were clear to see at the annual International Canine Biathlon held, again, in
25 Kennel Gazette Dogs at Work RAVC Centenary by Leonard Pagliero dated December 1981.
26 Chiron Calling duplicated Issue No 17 dated June 1982.
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