Page 399 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
be heard no more in the Royal Corps of Transport.7
414 Pack Transport Squadron RCT:
The garrison at Hong Kong, at this time, was served by 414 Pack Transport Squadron RCT although, by 1969 due to the defence cuts mentioned earlier, 414 was downgraded to a Troop.8
The RAVC provided training and veterinary care for the animals attached to the Squadrons. The Pack animals were utilised mostly to move supplies up into the mountains, through jungle terrain to supply the Army units there. It was as a consequence of the Defence Review of 1975, that 414 Troop was to be disbanded.9 In general, most reporting on Pack Animal activity was favourable, however, inadvertently, some points were reported inaccurately and one such case followed an Exercise – IRON FIST – held on Lan Tau Island in Hong Kong, when performing a tactical role in early March 1975. He outlined that mountain mules could carry up to 150lbs in some cases, and that mules are not rested on alternate days and they did not ‘object to overtime’. He went on to outline the loss of 414 Pack Tpt Sqn, and as a consequence of that loss, the British Army no longer possessed any animal transport capability. However, he wisely went on to deliver a reminder that, despite the intended demise of the Pack capability, one must presume that it still might be called upon to operate in mountainous terrain and in conditions of poor visibility, or in a tactical situation, which precluded the use of aeroplanes, or helicopters.10
How right he was.
In early 1975, 414 Troop comprised twenty-seven mules and the principle was accepted that the animals would be destroyed – as it was deemed unsuitable to dispose of the live animals in Hong Kong. However, it was suggested by Lieutenant Colonel John Clifford RAVC, that eight-ten of these animals be returned to RAVC Training Centre in the UK as there were sufficient funds available to accomplish this. It was also decided that: “...such an effort on the part of the Army would considerably offset the bad public relations which could be engendered by the alternative cause of disposal.”11
However, a loose minute dated 14th April 1975,
penned by J C M Gordon, a senior Civil Servant in Whitehall retorts that: “As there will be no more Pack Transport units in the Order of Battle Post Defence Review, we can see no reason for keeping the techniques alive physically, and there can be no justification for retaining expensive animals or diverting manpower and other resources to their maintenance.”12 Some further effort was made to save some of the animals from the slaughter house. When three horses, and six mules came forward, the latter ‘were deemed suitable for riding by handicapped children’ and were offered to the UK Jockey club while, ‘the remaining mules were to be destroyed by the Hong Kong Ministry of Agriculture under direct supervision of DADVRS Hong Kong.’13
All of the horse furniture and Pack saddlery were transferred to the RAVC Training Centre while the non-expendable veterinary stores and instruments were sent to the RAVC Training School at Aldershot.14 The final outcome of this saga was that four of the mules were handed over to the Jockey Club while the remaining twenty-three were humanely destroyed on 26th November 1975 by a small team of RAVC personal which included Geoffrey Durrant, Staff Sergeant Dave Whaley and Sergeant Palmer. The grooms at HK Services Saddle Club were RAVC cap badged in order to keep Pack transport and other equine skills alive.
[Further reading on 414 Pack Transport Sqn is contained in the Chapter on Hong Kong].
RAVC support continued:
Lieutenant Colonel John N Blashford-Snell MBE RE15 requested two Veterinary Officers assist the Junior Leaders Regiment RE on Exercise HIGHLAND ENDEAVOUR during July 1977. This comprised 10 ponies with riding saddles and hill saddles carrying a ‘representative’ load advancing towards Attadale Estate. Lieutenant Colonel Keith Morgan Jones RAVC offered the use of Pack animals, pack equipment and instructors for the exercise.16 Although no further correspondence is available to offer more detail on the RAVC’s contribution, the fact remains that the Corps was able to meet the demand at that time.
RAVC and WRAC rider/groom recruits in the
7 Soldier Magazine dated June 1970.
8 The Journal of The Royal Army Veterinary Corps Volume 40 (Supplement) Spring 1969.
9 A/BR 1055 AVR Loose Minute, dated 4th April 1975.
10 HK 58013 VR dated 21st March 1975.
11 Ibid.
12 MO1/681/1001 Loose Minute, dated 14th April 1975.
13 A/BR 1055 AVR dated 15th May 1975.
14 Ibid.
15 Junior Leaders Regiment RE letter 54/8/1 dated 7th June 1977.
16 Reference ’56 letter’ – Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Engineers’ dated 14th June 1977.
391