Page 81 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
that given the current manning climate and in particular against the constant difficulty in finding enough handlers for higher priority tasks, especially in Northern Ireland, there is no chance of E2 handlers being available’.
It took another seven years for the RAVC involvement with The British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB), to begin. In 1986, Protection dogs and, initially, handlers trained at the RAVC Training Centre, were lined-up for deployment.
What the RAVC found when they arrived in Belize was a site troubled by theft and in need of tighter security. Holdfast Camp was established in the west of Belmopan while Rideau and Salamanca Camps were located in the South of Belize, but it was to Airport Camp that the members of the Corps were deployed.
Airport Camp, a sprawling characterless complex, had a fenced perimeter of several kilometres, comprising multiple coils of barbed wire. It was mostly unlit which made the outlying scrub and woodland a prime target for anyone attempting to break-in. The locals were friendly but a certain section of the community regarded the Camp as a source of spare parts for their vehicles. In 1984, £67K worth of parts were stolen, mainly from the vehicle pound. Sadly, it didn’t stop there. Largescale theft was extended to personal effects and valuables from married quarters and Mess accommodation. During Major Paul Jepson’s visit, eight rooms in the Officers’ Mess were burgled in one night, while everyone was away attending a social function. With a large local workforce in camp, gaining inside information on access to valuables was relatively easy.32
In an attempt to improve security and control the high level of theft, dogs were introduced by the Army, on a trial basis, in 1985. The Belizeans were reputed to have an inherent dislike of strange dogs which usefully resulted in zero thefts from the Ordnance Stores following the dogs’ arrival. Known as 78 Ordnance Coy/HQ Forces Troops Dog Section, the dogs were managed by HQ Force Troops and at that time the team consisted of two Dobermans and four German Shepherds all of varying age and gender. The locally procured dogs were not trained to any particular standard but when deployed to various sites at night they willingly showed off their ability to bark furiously at intruders. Word was, that the dogs were able to distinguish between Servicemen and civilians
32 Report by Major Paul G H Jepson RAVC dated 29th September 1986. 33 D/DAVRS/10/1/167 dated 5th August 1987.
34 HQ Force Troops Belize DO letter dated 2nd November 1987.
– saving their aggression for the local intruders. However, the dogs were not official Army animals which raised a number of problems regarding the lack of an agreed performance standard, the fact that they were supervised by untrained personnel and that payment for food, equipment, third party insurance and veterinary treatment was being met by private funding.
Major Jepson began by recommending that an RAVC Dog Trainer be attached to the Camp for a limited period of time in order to establish the section and fix an acceptable working standard for the dogs. The recommendation was accepted on 30th September 1986, when the RAVC Training Centre confirmed that a trainer would be found from existing resources. Sgt Jay Pedrick RAVC travelled to Belize on a mission to rectify the numerous problems in the ‘dog section’ and just two months later, Lt Col R J F Owen RE stated in correspondence, that Pedrick had completed excellent work. Captain Julia Kneale RAVC, visited for a brief period during this time to conduct an Army Veterinary Remount Officer (AVRO) visit which prompted Lt Col Owen to again praise the work that had been achieved in transforming what he described had been ‘...a motley collection of dogs into a quite excellent dog unit’. He went on to say: “I cannot emphasise what an improvement this has made to the Garrison. Until now we have suffered regular break-ins and robberies by local people. Clearly, Sgt Jay Pedrick shouldered much of the burden during this transformation and I have been greatly impressed by him throughout his three months with the Garrison.”
Later, the CO of RAVC Training Centre, Colonel Brian Thompson MBE RAVC, offered to put an RAVC JNCO trainer at the disposal of the garrison. Several weeks later it was agreed33 that a Corporal would visit Belize every six-months to coincide with the arrival of the Resident Infantry roulement battalion. The aim being to provide management, employment advice and continu- ation training sufficient to ensure the maintenance of operational standards. The rotation of RAVC trainers remained in place for several years.
Corporal Steve Yeandle RAVC was later seconded to HQ Force Troops in Belize to oversee the transfer of the Dog Section between two infantry units. Once again it was reported by Lt Col Owen’s staff34 that they were impressed by the dedication of the RAVC NCO. Lt Col Owen added: “the Section was proving to be an excellent deterrent to local people who frequently
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