Page 447 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
arrived as a contribution too. The Commanding Officer of the Defence Animal Centre, Lt Col Richard Pope, raised funds at county shows and lectures – whenever his Unit was involved. And DAVRS raised another £2,000 from a well-known military tailor in London. Things looked very promising and it appeared that our initial vision had a chance of taking shape in no time.
This was considering a timescale for completion and readiness for unveiling by Spring/Summer 2014.
By sheer chance, the Colonel in Chief, HRH Princess Anne, was visiting the Defence Animal Centre in October 2013 and in conversation Abby mentioned the RAVC memorial project at the NMA and added that the RAVC Council would like to invite HRH to conduct the unveiling. To which she expressed a keen interest but added a reminder that we would have to follow protocol by making a formal request through the normal channel, that being through her outer office. Wasting no time, the bid for the Colonel in Chief ’s visit went in at the end of October 2013 and the Council was notified in January 2014 that HRH had agreed to unveil the memorial.
Meanwhile, the appeal fund was slowing down and we were enduring the wettest winter in over a century which, needless to say, added to the pressure. However, Mr Keith Rackham knew that it would all be achievable, providing he had a window of two weeks to allow the ground to dry up. An absolute must on the NMA site, which is being gradually reclaimed from quarry workings.
This pause had an added benefit – it gave Major Iain Rose and Abby a chance to refine the design. In March 2014, after the rain had finally stopped, Abby met with Keith Rackham on site to agree the plan. A plan which looked possible in April, when the sun came out and the ground began to dry up. Keith took the opportunity to visit the site with his team and decided, in light of the better weather, to go ahead with the base for the RAVC memorial.
It was on Abby’s next meeting with Keith that he was made aware of a problem – the granite stone that had been imported from India, had developed a thin crack. As a consequence, Keith came up with an alternative and better idea. He suggested that instead of a single stone, they have a three stone memorial, the stones standing side by side – the one on the left to depict the AVC and World War One showing a Vet Officer tending to his horse. The centre stone would carry the main wordings and the stone on the right would show the RAVC handler with his MWD. Keith Rackham’s drawing of the revised triptych design was promptly agreed.
It was now the third week of April 2014.
Concurrently, plans for the Royal visit progressed with the Police, the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire’s office and the NMA events team.
Meanwhile, it was very important to bring along the families of the bereaved soldiers, Corporal Bryan Criddle BEM who died in Northern Ireland, Lance Corporals Kenneth Rowe and Liam Tasker who died in Afghanistan. As security would be very tight on the day, only those with tickets would be allowed to attend the unveiling. The brief for HRH took the best part of a week to prepare, and there were numerous exchanges of emails and conversations between all the agencies involved – the Palace and RHQ RAVC – to finalise the programme.
Ten days before the unveiling, Abby had arranged to meet up with Keith Rackham at the NMA. But instead of a visit came a call from Keith to say that the area around the RAVC Memorial was waterlogged, and there would be no point in coming. Once again, good fortune favoured the brave and the weather improved enough for Keith and his team to immediately set to work on the memorial and they continued to work on the site, right up to the day before the unveiling.
On the eve of the big day, the Corps RSM WO1 Adie Davies and the Association Secretary of the Melton Branch had arranged for rehearsals with the troops and the Standard Bearers in the afternoon. The rehearsals went very well, but Keith and his team had covered the memorial so that no one could have a sneaky look ahead of the event.
The Colonel Commandant, DAVRS and all key players had been briefed, and Abby met the Rowe and Tasker families the evening before to explain the format for the next day.
Friday 2nd May arrived and all the major dignatories had been briefed on their respective roles, and the guests began to arrive. A separate reception had been arranged especially for the RAVC event and the weather was perfect, neither wet, nor cold. The Police arrived ahead of everyone to conduct a sweep of the NMA and their search dogs had checked all the areas around the RAVC Memorial. The troops arrived on buses and the Corps RSM marched them down to the Memorial. Visitors took their seats and the Colonel Commandant prepared his introductions.
HRH The Princess Royal arrived by helicopter which landed about a mile away. The Princess was met by the Lord Lieutenant, Mr Dudson and his wife, and the party then travelled to the NMA under Police escort. On her arrival, HRH
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