Page 82 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
broke through the camp perimeter. I am sure the dogs have saved the Army a lot of money not to mention administrative concern.”
The Handover:
Due to the drawdown of British Forces in Belize, the Force Dog Section was handed over to the Belizean Defence Force in November 1994. At a later date the security arrangements of BATSUB areas of Price Barracks (formerly APC), where provided by a local security company, KBH, who also supplied the dogs.
During August 2001 a further survey was conducted by WO2 Paul Anderson RAVC, at the request of CO BATSUB, Lt Col D M Leigh PARA.35 The aim of the survey was to provide further enhancements to security and assess the feasibility of providing an RAVC Sergeant trained as a Jungle Warfare Instructor – the location to be Price Barracks.
The week-long Technical visit was conducted in early December 2001 by WO2 Anderson who strongly recommended the establishment of an RAVC SNCO and three Patrol dogs and possibly two other dogs, likely to be Police dogs. The RAVC Sgt would assist in Company Strength Exercises, which were to be held seven times a year. However, no traction was given to the proposal and no reason was forthcoming. The OC Canine Division attempted to re-invigorate the proposal in mid-2003, but to no avail.
During 2004, RAVC handlers were sent from both 101 MWD Support Unit in Aldershot and 102 MWD Support Unit in Germany to support Ex TROPICAL STORM which showed again the effective use of Tracker dogs and their handlers in a close country environment.36 The Operational demand for handlers, firstly in Iraq and then Afghanistan, halted any further Exercises until 2014 when from October through to December several RAVC soldiers deployed along with the Dutch Marines, on Ex NORNED AVENGER. Over those two months the Corps’ candidates developed and practised their soldiering and handling skills in this inhospitable environment – a far cry from the war in those sandy places.
The Return:
During September 2016 two RAVC soldiers from Germany deployed to the jungle of Belize, this time to support the Infantry in Exercise MAYAN STORM. This proved a huge success for the RAVC handlers who almost 30 years to the day since
35 BATSUB 2000/3656 dated 23rd August 2001. 36 Chiron Calling Magazine Summer 2005.
their predecessors set foot on Belize soil were given a better understanding of the demands and challenges of the Central American jungle.
A NEW BEGINNING – THE RAVC IN BRUNEI – BRING ON “JERRY-LEE” AND “MUNGO”
During 1989, the concept of reviving the use of Infantry Patrol (IP) and Trackers dogs within a jungle training environment was re-visited.
Staffwork was initiated and soon Capt Rick Carver RAVC and Sgt Chris Ham were dispatched to the Sultanate of Brunei in September 1989. However, the RAVC’s huge enthusiasm for the idea was not matched by the Gurkha Garrison Commander at Tuker Lines in Seria, who cited several reasons why it was not a viable project.
It took the dogs and the dedication of the Corps to persuade him to think again.
Background:
Brunei Darussalam (Abode of Peace) is located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. The country covers an area of over 5,760 km2, of which the jungle or tropical rainforest covers 70 % cent. The country is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and to the north by the South China Sea. As Brunei is situated 443km north of the equator, the climate is equatorial with uniformly high temperatures (the average is 28°C or 84°F and there is little in annual variation), humidity and rainfall.
The capital and main centre of the population is Bandar Seri Begawan. The total population numbers just 227,000 of which Malays form the majority with an estimated 70,000, non-Malays consisting of mainly Chinese. There are also several small communities in the towns of Seria and Kuala Belait where the British, Dutch, Americans and Australians mostly live. It is in these towns where the basis of the economy – the oil and gas industry – is centred. Brunei Darussalam received full independence from the United Kingdom during December 1987 and so became the world’s 159th Sovereign State.
Brunei is a Muslim state and the religion and observance of traditional customs plays a very important part in daily life – as the RAVC was to discover when going through the process of trans- porting dogs into the country.
The decision to revive the concept of IP and Tracker dogs within a jungle training environment followed a conversation at the Officers’ Mess bar
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