Page 42 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
the ‘dangerous dog legislation’ for their specific lander (County). Captain Hamish Denham, Sgt Billy Boulton and others were heavily involved in attending a number of conferences and training days at the German Veterinary College at Hannover to evaluate assessments.
Similar evaluation had to be conducted for British service personnel whose dogs fell into the category to be controlled. The Unit also was heavily involved and hosted the DAC Procurement Team headed by SSgt Dave Franklin; his role was to recruit Malinois dogs. At the same time a formal agreement was also made, that the USA Dog Procurement Team could use DASU facilities throughout the year, for their procurement needs. The introduction of the UK Pet Passport Scheme allowed the first MWD to return to the DAC for training.37 That historic dog’s name was “Chad”.
The pace of life remained hectic in the later part of 2003. As the 20th Armoured Brigade prepared for its deployment to Iraq, DASU had actively assisted in delivering lectures, demos and Exercise support for the local Units such as QRH, 1 RRW, 2 LI, 12 and 26 Regt RA. In addition to this, the Unit had to be deployed at short notice on three separate occasions to provide support to the Port Task Group (PTG) at Emden, where elements of TELIC 1 were returning to Germany. Emden remained the port of choice for British Forces Germany deployments and Operations.
The composition of the PTG consisted of 14 Tpt Sqn and attached elements of a variety of other cap badges, such as RLC drivers, RLC pioneers, RLC chefs, Royal Signals, RE, REME, RMP, AGC, Int Corps, RAMC, RLC movers and the RAVC. The mission for all – was to ensure the smooth recovery of Germany based Units’ equipment and vehicles from the Gulf, which included all aspects of co-ordination and security. Here the MWDs played their part in full, by providing high profile patrolling, particularly where high value and sensitive stores were contained. The Unit also provided further handlers for Operations in Bosnia and an additional ten handlers to support Op TELIC in Iraq.
Despite all the support to the Operation, normal military training had to continue as well as the DAC Continental Dog Procurement project, where the dogs pass rate and quality maintained its high standard.Furthertothis,theUSProcurementTeam, hosted by DASU, evaluated, veterinary assessed and exported over 175 dogs in a three-week period.
37 Chiron Calling Summer 2001 ‘Defence Animal Support Unit – Sennelager.’ 38 Chiron Calling Winter 2003/Spring 2004 ’1 DASU UPDATE.’
During the year, financial support was secured to refurbish many of the indoor kennel buildings – 256 and 258. Funding was also available to ensure the Unit club or ‘The Den’ was compliant to the most up-to-date fire regulations.38
All in a Name:
On 1st April 2004, 1 DASU re-roled and was renamed 102 MWD Support Unit. In the re-naming, the Director’s aspiration to mirror 102 Logistics Brigade – the support provided to 101 Log Bde – was achieved. This saw the Log Bde Unit’s resources grow and both MWD Sp Units increasingly adopting responsibility for deployed Operations. Consequently, the number of RAVC soldiers deployed from the DAC in support of long-established Operations reduced greatly.
The diagram right illustrates the new ORBAT for 102 MWD Sp Unit.
Winter gloom was hastened out of the way by an early spring in 2004 and then a welcome heat wave. The majority of personnel were returning from post-tour leave, but the Unit did not rest on its laurels as it prepared to take part in Ex CHIRON HALBERD, an Exercise that tested the restructuring of the Unit.
With more and more deployable stores arriving, the restructuring and re-roling gained momentum with fundamental changes designed to ensure 102 were truly deployable. Unit personnel had responded well to the challenges and change, despite it being less than six months since the majority of personnel had returned from Ops. The opportunity was taken to reward personnel by arranging ‘bus man’s holidays’ to Sweden, the USA and Bundeswehr dog-employing Units. All visitors, including the Brigade Commanders, commented on the work ethic and professionalism of the young, highly motivated soldiers. Such visitors included the Brigade Commander as well as Colonel (Retd) Scott Moffat and later on Major (Retd) Tony Rossell who was a guest speaker at the Unit Study Day during June 2005. The theme of that day was ‘Training for Today’s RAVC for Tomorrow's Operations’. Shortly afterwards, the entire Unit was involved in 102 Logistic Brigade Capability Day where it was able to inform on the use of MWDs and Pack animals for Operations. Members of the Unit visited the Bundeswehr ’s 23rd Mountain Brigade at Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria.
With the fun over, the Unit commenced recces for its deployments both to Afghanistan and Iraq
34