Page 408 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
In that same issue of Chiron Calling in 1995, another article directed a spotlight on the importance to the wider Army of the Pack training offered at the DAC.
Pack Transportation Training within the RAVC by WO2 Richard Pope RAVC
Although the British Army no longer finds itself in a position that requires Pack Transportation Animals, it has always ensured, through the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, that this skill is not lost as the ever-moving trend of military support is moved to the vehicle or the air.
Although the mule has always been documented as the ‘beast of burden’ in military use the Defence Animal Centre makes use of the native Highland pony. This breed has all the qualities of a work animal, the back is short the limbs strong and the temperament to forgive those inexperienced hands that are all too often found when training young soldiers in the art of animal handling.
The two Highland ponies that we employ are “Bay Rum”, a 14-year-old bay gelding and “Barley Corn” a 7-year-old dun mare. The training of military pack animals begins with the training and development of the animal’s body and mind through to being ridden under saddle before in-hand training is re-started and the introduction of both pack saddles and weight is started. All of the training is done at each animal’s own speed as errors at this stage may well lead to difficulties later as confidence and trust are two of the key features of training Pack Transport Animals. Both of these ponies are regularly used at the Defence Animal Centre for training RAVC recruits, Logistic Corps personnel from both the regular and TA formations and externally in support of military Exercises in such areas as Dartmoor and Otterburn. Their role on these Exercises varies from carrying support weapons, such as anti-tank equipment through to the more common form of support, food, and water. Loads will often vary from task-to-task but as a rule, loads will not exceed 160lb per animal. This may not appear to be a large weight, but when you consider that they will move at a speed of 2.5 to 3 mph over all forms of terrain covering a daily distance of upwards of 20 miles you will see that it is no mean feat.
The training that all RAVC soldiers receive during the Pack Transport Course is based upon estab- lishing firstly confidence in the animals and then on to as much practical application as possible with the subjects ranging from handling and feeding, through to equipment preparation and loading with all courses finishing with a long march and overnight stop in the field where students have the opportunity to test out their newly acquired skills prior to the end of the course.
Although the demand for Pack animal assistance is relatively small, the RAVC has always been in a position to provide RAVC soldiers with the ideal opportunity to
refresh their skills and continue to provide expertise on all animal related matters to the UK Armed Forces.60
A decade later, Pack Transport is still a subject being discussed and RAVC expertise still being sought. This is highlighted in an article by WO2 Martyn Thompson RAVC, in the summer 2005 issue of Chiron Calling:
Pack Transportation Alive and Kicking in Bad Reichenhall
OC 102 MWD Sp Unit made contact and through his persistence the necessary clearance was received from the German Divisional Commander, which enabled 102 MWD Sp Unit to visit 230 Mountain Pack Troop. The Troop is located at Bad Reichenhall in Southern Bavaria. The seven-hour drive from Sennelager was tempered by some of the worst weather imaginable; however, the OC and I arrived, quickly orientated ourselves with the area, and then prepared our kit for an early start the next day.
We paraded at 0530 hrs for a quick breakfast before arriving at 0600 hrs to meet up with No 1 Platoon ready for their training exercise up Mt Zugspitze. There are two platoons which are each normally equipped with twenty-four animals, these are usually a mixture of mules or Haflingers, procured either from Spain (mules) or Tirol, Italy (Haflingers). No 1 Platoon, our host, was using thirteen animals of which there was an even split of mules and Haflingers. Their mission was to resupply one of the mountain restaurants with its weekly requirement of food, drink and other consumables, this saw each animal carrying some 80kg of supplies.
The Platoon Leader directed his men, a mixture of conscripts and regulars, and they began their ascent. The German equipment was almost identical to the British Mark V Pack Saddle, the only significant differences being the lack of crupper and surcingle with the German variant.
All the animals were shod and showed remarkable sure footedness as they negotiated the mountain track; this was a mixture of narrow metal roads, steps hewn, or carved into the hard mountain and shear rock places. Total time to reach their objective was three hours, reaching a height of some 1600m.
The descent took slightly longer – but by 1230 hrs we were back at the stable block, where the animals were checked over before being groomed and turned out for the afternoon. The equipment was checked, cleaned, and stored away. We had an opportunity to view their horse boxes which consisted of the German equivalent of a four-tonne truck that had been converted to carry mules and horses – the design was simple yet effective and allowed for the handlers to travel at the rear of the box. (Maybe we could learn something for MWDs as well?)
The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Franz
60 Ibid.
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