Page 404 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
In due course, the first training session was scheduled for the week beginning 27th January 1986, to be completed by 31st January 1986.40 This course, under the tutelage of WO2 Pete Breeze, consisted of one Officer from the RAVC, four from the RCT and one from 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles). The course was a success with a curriculum consisting of basic animal care; animal handling techniques; practise in making up loads; fitting pack saddlery onto horses and securing various types of loads to the animals. The course fulfilled its criteria, but WO2 Pete Breeze suggested that it should be lengthened to a full seven days in order for the trainees to gain more confidence in the discipline.41
Colonel Durrant firmly reinforced the above in a memo addressed to various recipients including HQ Eastern District.42 As there was no official sanction regarding this training, the powers that be appeared to gain their knowledge of such a thing from an article in Soldier Magazine dated 24th February 1986. Colonel Durrant requests in his memo: “The inference from the article is that there is no official MoD policy sanctioning the re-intro- duction of animal pack transport and before we proceed along this trail, of obtaining Austrian Flaschberger System Pack Saddles, we should be grateful if you confirm that this requirement is in accord with current logistics policy. Our knowledge is limited to the recent article in Soldier Magazine”.43
However, in a memo between Colonel Durrant and Lieutenant Colonel Bignell RO3 DGTM, official sanction was given to the course: “It is logical to maintain this experience at an acceptable level for the future. It is therefore intended that Tpt 1/3 LE(A) will co-ordinate one course per year in the future.”44 Finally, the Minister of State for Defence states that his policy was: “...to have a cadre of trained personal for deployment should the need arise.”45
From the article in Soldier Magazine referred to above:
Army Pack Horses March Again.46
The Cyprus Defence Animal Support Unit (CDASU) comprising soldiers of the RAVC, have been active in this region providing support to the military working dogs and also possessing an equine role to fulfil. Due to the ruggedness of the terrain and a poor road system
40 Memo from RAVC TC, Reference, TC/A 12010 dated 22nd November 1985.
41 Memo from RAVC TC dated 7th February 1986.
42 Memo from RAVC TC, Reference TC/A 245 dated 18th February 1986.
43 Memo D/DCT/81 dated 3rd April 1986.
in remote areas and to ensure that the SBA boundaries were secure regarding patrolling and resupply it was decided to use Pack Transport to assist this tactical deployment of horses to carry stores, ration re-supply, water, and logistic support. ......
However, in December 1987, over a year after the publication of that article, a pleading letter, which was interspersed with an aura of annoyance from Major Brian Corrigan SO2 Vets HQ Land Forces Cyprus to MoD (AVR) Aldershot, requested his urgent need of an instructor proficient in Pack animals and procedures. He needed the infantry regiments stationed and training in Cyprus to be instructed on the discipline of the Pack animal as he had received no assistance in this.47
Matters chugged along for a time until, finally, on 26th August 1989, the Commander British Forces Cyprus, in a letter to Brigadier Durrant following a visit by Colonel John Bleby, expressed his full agreement that horses, equipment and trained personal should be attached to his Command to ensure that this element of logistics must be upheld.48
Clarity on the support of continued training in Pack transport in the Army was reflected in an article in the November 1989 issue of Chiron Calling. This situation report provided a small slice of the history of military working animals:
Animal Transport in Cyprus – a Sitrep.
Since 1945, using animals as means of military transport has decreased, mostly due to the capabilities of more sophisticated mechanised transport, particu- larly the helicopter. However, there are, and always will be, occasions when motorised transport proves to be unsuitable, whether it be due to extremes of climate or too difficult terrain. In Afghanistan thousands of Pack back transport animals have been operationally employed, alongside the latest military equipment by the Soviet Army.
With the decrease in animal deployment, so too has there been a loss of trained personnel within the British Army. The RAVC retains expertise in animal transport, and all RAVC recruits receive some basic instruction in the techniques. Sadly, the RCT no longer retain any facilities or personnel specifically for this purpose. In Cyprus, however, where troops frequently used pack transport on exercise, the RCT has no wish to have a pool of muleteers within their driver strength. The training Sergeant at
44 Memo from Logistic Executive (Army) Reference D/DGTM/18/2/31 Tpt 1/b3, dated 25th April 1986.
45 Loose Minute Reference D/DAVRS/3/13, Animal Pack Transport Saddles, dated 4th April 1986.
46 Soldier Magazine article dated February 1986.
47 Letter from SO2 VET SVCS HQ Land Forces Cyprus to MoD (AVR) Aldershot, Reference C DASU/2008 dated 16th December 1987.
48 Letter from Colonel J N B Mogg to Brigadier Geoffrey Durrant Reference Ops 16A, dated 26th August 1989.
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