Page 407 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
steep and often boggy ground. From there, kit was manhandled the balance of the distance. The task was successful, taking five hours to complete. The PSI Warrant Officer Class 2, P Richardson of 224, was most impressed with the horses and the RAVC complement saying that he would call on them again.56
The mule and the Highland pony:
Despite the waves of indecision surrounding the retention of the Pack capability in the Army, support for the expertise of the RAVC personnel in this area was ongoing.
Keeping alive the expertise in the use of Pack Transport brought a measure of welcome publicity in 1987 when the media discovered that Pack animals still have a place in the modern military concept of Operations. Students from the RCT Logistics Battalion and the RM Logistic Regiment attended courses at the RAVC Centre aimed at giving them a basic understanding and knowledge of good Pack Transport techniques. The short five-day course – an abbreviation of the training all RAVC personnel receive in the initial stages of their career – was attended by Officers and SNCOs who could find themselves in the situation where helicopter or vehicular support might be unobtainable or impracticable to provide. There will always be situations in war where the ability to utilise a Pack horse could be crucial to the task as was demonstrated by the previously mentioned Pack Horse Trial in the Falklands, post conflict. It is pleasing to know that some Army logistics staff recognise this and seek the knowledge.57
This situation, of recognising the value of Pack animals and Pack training was echoed in the article Pack Transport Lives which appeared in the November 1987 issue of Chiron Calling. 58 For many, the ultimate Pack animal, and the one that has, in countless conflicts, shown their life-saving resilience – the mule.
In her article Mules at Melton Mowbray, which appeared in the Summer 1995 issue of Chiron Calling, Lorraine Travis, Honorary Secretary, British Mule Society, provided some interesting background to the Army’s long and affectionate association with this particular beast of burden and the RAVC. She wrote:
“The British Mule Society, many of whose members are veterans of World War Two with experience of mules on active service, is very proud of its links with the RAVC.
The society first held its Annual general meeting at
Melton Mowbray around fifteen years ago, when the late Colonel Keith Morgan-Jones (a BMS Committee member) was Commandant. We were delighted and honoured to be invited to mark the RAVC’s connection with mules by holding our AGM and Annual Mule Day at Melton Mowbray in this fiftieth anniversary of VE-Day and VJ-Day.
The main aim of the Mule Day is for members to enjoy themselves, and this they certainly did – competing with mules, watching other mules, and talking to people who do not think they are crazy for admiring mules! The Commandant, Colonel Andrew Roache, opened the proceedings, his speech being listened to attentively not only by the audience but by the line-up of twenty-three mules and their handlers. Twenty-two of the mules were entered in the first class, an in-hand show class, the judging of which was a daunting but fascinating task for BMS Chairman-elect Captain Dick Ashby, who was responsible for the training and well-being of many mules and their drivers throughout World War Two when he served in a Mountain Artillery Regiment on India’s Northwest Frontier.
Then followed three “handy mule” classes, in-hand, ridden and driven, always very popular with the audience, mule handlers and, I feel sure, the mules. The competitive part of the programme was completed by jumping, cone driving, fancy dress (the winner was a “Highland mu-oo-le cow” with downward curving horns and a pretty young milkmaid) and a driven dressage to music.
Ted and Jean Carr from Norfolk and their 11.2hh white mule, Jenny, were overall champions, also winning the cup for the in-hand show class, the cup for the in-hand championship, and the cup for the driving champi- onship. This was a popular win, as the little mule is very smart and behaves perfectly. The ridden section was dominated by Alf, 16.1hh and his sister Jessica, 15.3hh, owned and bred by George Larmett from Lancashire.
Warrant Officer Richard Pope RAVC, who has given a packing demonstration using Highland ponies from the Defence Animal Centre at each previous Mule Day, was this year persuaded to use “Seth”, a 14hh white mule from the King Forest Animal Sanctuary, the BMS’s official sanctuary. There was some talk afterwards that Seth might be requisitioned.
The day was perfect in many ways. (Did someone say it was cold and drizzly! I didn’t notice) The facilities are, of course, ideal, the help we received from all ranks was friendly, unobtrusive, and often well beyond the call of duty. The atmosphere was happy and relaxed, the mules (and their owners) all behaved beautifully-well, enough, we hope, for us to be invited back again next year.”59
56 Report on Exercise Mountain Goat by WO2 Pete Breeze RAVC dated 22nd August 1986.
57 Chiron Calling dated November 1978.
58 ‘Pack Transport Lives’ in Chiron Calling dated November 1987.
59 Chiron Calling dated Summer 1995.
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