Page 40 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
DOGS BAOR. 12-Jul 92.
Syst 68
Plc/DD 19
AES 10
Tkr 2
N.B. Total Dogs 384
HQ BAOR 12-Jul-92.
Syst 3
A GROUP 64
MSO CSES 24
GSU 26
D GROUP 42
BRIT Cses 12
SCOPE 8 *
110 Provo 4
Gd/Tkr 4
N.B. Total Dogs 73
(* Surge in Sy AT Dogs)
B GROUP 62
C GROUP 66
N.B. Total Dogs 284
MSO Cses 16
AES 7
Gd 285
MSO/GSU DETS. 12-Jul-92.
Gd 14
VH 5
Pie charts outlining the Classifications of MWDs held in BAOR at various locations, during July 1992.
Another name change was again absorbed into the fabric of the Unit and so during September 1997, 513 STRE (V) Sqn arrived with a mission to refurbish one of the aging kennel blocks. They worked very hard and achieved a miraculous result. The renovated block, included new insulation, better doors, heating, and a food preparation room, which was welcomed by the dogs and handlers, especially as winter set in. In an article titled: ‘Update from Germany’ in the winter 1997/’98 issue of Chiron Calling, the Unit expressed how much it was looking forward to an active programme of operational, exercise and training support in 1998.33 Although the renovations were needed and appreciated the disruption to programmes and Exercises was a genuine frustration. All everyone wanted was to get back to normal and for many that meant ... competition.
For ten days every winter, a three-man dog team headed towards Pfullendorf to assist in the training of students on the ILRRP course in Bavaria. There, the small teams continued to support the Hunter Force, numbering over a hundred strong. It was not unusual for the DASU teams to catch ten-fifteen students, which was considered, not bad for a three-man team. The Unit also participated in various biathlons held in other continental locations as well as visiting
33 Chiron Calling Winter 1997/1998 ’Update from Germany.’ 34 Chiron Calling Winter 1998/1999 ‘News from Germany.’
France to look at the 132nd Group Cynophile de l’Armée de Terre (132 GCAT). It was hoped that this would allow for some bilateral training to be conducted with MWDs and promote the inclusion and sharing of veterinary matters.
The Unit continued to support Operations in the Balkans and with the RMP, where AES teams were regularly assisting in search Operations including assistance to the Civil Powers. The teams were also used routinely in the training of troops deploying to Northern Ireland from Germany. And it continued to host the US Dog Procurement team who had, that year, purchased over fifty dogs from the continent and returned them to the USA.34
Cpl Iain Carnegie, Cpl Adrian Davies, and other trainers from 1 DASU deployed on Ex ULAN EAGLE, the culmination of the Divisional Exercise calendar. The principle aim was to practise and test a Brigade in war fighting at formation level. Prior to this, each Brigade within 1 Div conducted its own smaller build-up Exercises during the course of the year and called it, PRAIRIE EAGLE. ULAN EAGLE was to be carried out in the expansive Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area in Northern Poland, a former Soviet Mechanised Brigade Training area.
The Exercise and been running for three years and over that time there had been plenty of thefts from the trains carrying the armour, equipment, and troops to Poland. To thwart this, DASU
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