Page 80 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
In the days of the curfew and bandits, When the heat drove you out of your mind, You’d be brought back to sanity quickly,
By those four feet trotting behind.
Dog handlers were targets for bandits,
And would walk into ambush quite blind.
So, this was the reason for making the change, Now the handler goes trotting behind.
So let this tale remind you,
To keep the facts firmly in mind,
With an Army Dog, four feet go trotting in front, While the handler goes trotting behind.
[SSgt (Sam) W E Perrie]
BELIZE
The ‘Dirty Jungle’
In May 1986 Brigadier John Clifford Late RAVC became concerned about the situation in Belize, namely that unauthorised, untrained dogs and handlers were being employed to guard military establishments. The Brigadier went on to say that he wished to regularise the irregular situation and shortly afterwards, Major Paul Jepson RAVC, was tasked to visit HQ British Forces (HQ BF) in Belize at Airport Camp.
Background:
Columbus sailed along the coast of Belize in 1502 and although he didn’t drop anchor, it became the reason why the people still celebrate Columbus Day on 12th October each year.
The British first settled there in 1638 and stayed-put despite their settlements being repeatedly attacked by the Spanish, who claimed sovereignty to the region. The Brits remained resolute and in 1789 overcame the Spanish navy in St George’s Bay. In 1862 the region was formally recognised by Britain as a colony and re-named British Honduras.
The colonisation was disputed by the Guatemalans who continued to bid for an outlet to the Caribbean Sea. Unsurprisingly, in 1948 they attempted a coup against British Honduras but the dispatch of two Royal Navy cruisers was enough to avoid any military action. Nevertheless, the territorial dispute rumbled on and early in 1970, the Hondurans threatened another invasion, which this time was thwarted by the arrival of British soldiers whose presence dissuaded any external aggression. From this point on, British Army and RAF personnel were based in key locations such as Airport Camp (APC), the home of British Forces Belize, and co-located with the country’s Interna-
tional Airport eight miles outside of Belize City. The Belizean jungle is similar to that of any other equatorial rainforest, the insufferable humidity, inhospitable terrain, and heavy rainfall in the wet season. Often referred to as a ‘dirty’ jungle complete with several venomous snakes, particularly the ‘Fer de Lance’ or ‘boot lace’ snake for obvious reasons. The snake is known to be very protective of its territory which also shelters tarantulas and a selection of commonplace spiders, sand flies, mosquitoes, and crocodiles. At night the jungle comes alive with the wail of Howler monkeys and bats moving through the tall trees as the docile armadillo forages for food on the ground. The vast areas of unexplored jungle adjacent to the Guatemalan border held
more surprises for the unsuspecting visitor.
Belize was officially renamed Belize in 1973 and was granted its independence in September 1981. Its capital, Belmopan, was constructed with British aid, following the devastation brought by Hurricane Hattie which destroyed over 75% of homes and businesses in the old capital, Belize
City, in 1961.
The Arrival of the RAVC:
During July 1978, HQBF wrote to the RAVC Directorate at Droitwich querying the possibility of using War Dogs in Belize.
The dogs would be tasked with protecting ammunition compounds, each compound surrounded by a nine-foot (2.7metres) high, chain-link fence. HQBF suggested that given the daytime temperatures of 70-110 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity hitting in excess of 95%, the dogs’ work would be short but effective. It was mentioned that handlers would be costly, coupled with accommodation and the inevitable veterinary charges, so a suggestion was made that using the dogs roaming free might be the best solution. DAVRS’s reply, dated 2nd August 1978, outlined the benefits of Guard and Security dogs. And, following various pieces of correspondence, it appeared HQBF still thought illegal compound dogs were the best option.
In an attempt to settle the situation DAVRS, Brigadier John Spurry, requested that Major Bill Berridge from the RAVC Training Centre be sent to Belize to recce the requirement. After attending Airport Camp, the Major’s report outlined all the needs stating that the detachment should be manned by E2 dog handlers on completion of a tour of duty in Northern Ireland (NI). However, despite the recce and report, a signal dated mid-January 1979 clearly stated: ‘Must advise
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