Page 456 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
by around 1430 hrs – the first stand opened which was ‘beat the goalie’: the goalie being LCpl Rich Cooksey. The winner of this event was youngster Logan Tudgay; age 6, who won a long weekend for his dad, LCpl Craig Tudgay from the SSM, WO2 Al Smith’s goody envelopes.
The next stand was the crossbar challenge with a rugby ball. Cpl Matt Cole won this challenge on a fluke first attempt, taking away the prize of the day. This was followed by the ‘Whack a Rat’ stand, run by LCpl Tudgay, which was ironic given the resemblance. The final consisted of Pte Matthew Way and Pte Ryan Bennett battling for the prestigious prize of a ‘RAVC admin folder’ which Pte Matt Way won. This was followed by the children and families trying out the previously mentioned stands while the soldiers had a well-deserved drink. This turned out to be a tactical error when faced with the next challenge...the ‘Sack Race’!
The ‘Sack Race’ turned out to be a cheeky course with up and down slopes and hurdles. This was run in a knockout manner with the contestants having to pick up certain items of clothing midway around. The winner of this event was Sgt Dave Rea who won a ‘long weekend’ but chose to treat his Troop to late starts instead (Awwwwww). The highlight of this stand was the ‘Battle of the Bosses’, with the SSM WO2 Al Smith vs OC Major Mike Robinson. As the race started, there was a lot of tension in the first straight as the SSM tried some underhand tactics leaning in for a shoulder barge, which was nimbly dodged by the OC. As they came to the down slope they both lost their footing and looked like stranded whales! On the home straight, the SSM closed the gap on the OC, but it was too little too late and the OC reigned supreme.
The final two stands were the inter-troop battles of sumo wrestling and gladiators. I am ashamed to admit that 1 Troop, 101 MWD Sqn left victorious with their champions as follows: Male Gladiator; Pte James Allen, Female Gladiator; Pte Jodie Lewis, Male Sumo; Pte Nick Walters, Female Sumo; Pte Jodie Lewis.
As the activities ended, the hog roast arrived and the festivities started with the children flocking to the sweets and cake stand and the adults to the beverages. The event seemed a smash hit with the families having fun ‘til the late evening when they dispersed with their bellies full and smiles on their faces. I for one, cannot wait for the next family day.19
The successful role of the MWD in the Afghanistan conflict was not only appreciated in the wider Army but also shared with the public through the media. The working partnership of the dog and handler had already proven itself an
invaluable asset in many conflicts from the First World War onwards. In Afghanistan, the many and various capabilities of the MWD cemented their life-saving reputation. In the 2012, Chiron Calling featured an article that expressed the soldier’s great pride in their regiment:
There is much more on the dogs and handlers in the chapter – Afghanistan RAVC; Leading a Way to Safety.
Visit of HRH The Princess Royal to 1st Military Working Dog Regiment.
On 30th May 2012, after six months of hard toil in Afghanistan, 102 Military Working Dog Squad- ron had their efforts formally recognised by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal at a medals parade at Chiron Lines.
The previous weeks were filled with plenty of preparation for the day, ranging from the customary drill practice and boot polishing to the less expected weeding of the parade square.
By the day of the parade, Chiron Lines and 102 Sqn were looking their best for the arrival of Her Royal Highness. After receiving the Royal Salute, the Princess was escorted by Major Eddie Thompson Royal Engineers, Officer Commanding 102 Sqn, as she presented medals to those who had just completed their first Op HERRICK tour. The royal visitor made time to speak at length with many of the soldiers and took a close interest in what each had done during their deployment.
The Regiment was pleased to welcome many of the families who had supported the Squadron during their deployment and who came to see their loved ones presented with medals. Glorious sunshine helped them to enjoy the day as the band of the Royal Signals kept them entertained. Plenty of feet were seen to be tapping as Mums and Dads enjoyed the pomp of the military marches before lighter tunes, such as the “YMCA” got the kids’ attention. Many of those on parade had to dig into their reserves of self-discipline and stifle their grins as the band aptly struck up with the opening bars of “Who let the dogs out?”
During her speech, The Princess Royal acknowl- edged the hard work of those who had deployed and the sacrifices that they and their families had made in providing a ‘vital capability’ which had directly saved lives and contributed to the UK’s mission. She went on to sign the Visitors Book before meeting more of the soldiers and chatting with their families. Well known for being a dog lover, Her Royal Highness appeared genuinely interested in the work and life of the dog teams.
19 Chiron Calling Autumn 2011.
448