Page 21 - Chiron Calling Autumn 2019

During 1963, Major RJ Clifford RAVC was posted to the MOD as Staff Officer to the Director Army and Remount Services (DAVRS). During this post he took the opportunity to investigate MOD policy for the supply of military dog teams and their use in emerging contingencies. Personal experiences during his earlier postings in Malaya in the mid 1950s, Germany and Cyprus during the Cyprus Emergency, were used to inform dog team use. On researching the archives at Droitwich MOD AVR, where he was assigned, he unearthed an MOD file from WWII which described an RAVC unit designed to hold a small number of dogs and handlers in peacetime. This was detailed to be a UK unit, held in the reserve component, which would be able to provide an immediately
Pte Trev Ball and an Army dog conducting ‘battle inoculation’ training with Sgt Jerry Jakeman from the Tactical Dog Troop circa 1968
available force for use in an emergency. Despite the concept having been fully authorised at the end of the war, it was not implemented on cessation of hostilities due to financial cut backs at that time. The file contained the authorised War Establishment number and the name for the Unit - ‘TACTICAL DOG TROOP RAVC’.
With the approval of DAVRS, Major Clifford was now in a position to approach MOD Staff with the proposal that this previously established unit should be re-instated in the Army ORBAT (Order of Battle). With various modifications, plenty of determination and a lengthy staff process, the end result was that additional manpower was authorised and the new ‘TACTICAL DOG TROOP’ unit was formed in 1966.
The unit was to be located at Gallwey Road, Aldershot, and would be part of the Army Strategic Reserve - Southern Command in the heart of the Army where it would be very much seen and not forgotten. At the same time Major Clifford by chance moved from MOD Droitwich to command the RAVC School and Stores and now, in addition, the TACTICAL DOG TROOP.
The Tactical Dog Troop was authorised to hold 1 x WO2 CSM (Colin Brown who had served in Malaya in 1957), 1 x Cpl (Marsh Revell who went on to have a full service career, leaving as the OC ADU NI), 1 x Sgt (Jerry Jakeman), 6 x Pte (Trev Ball went on to have a full service career in the RAVC) and 14 x Army Dogs, comprising of Guard, Security, Tracker and IP dogs. The unit was available for tasking on exercise and operations and was regularly
employed by the School of Infantry and the Army Air Corps. Such exercises served to demonstrate the useful capability of Army Dogs but highlighted the limitations with other equipment or stores. Fortunately this swiftly resulted in equipment and other essential items being issued to the Troop for future exercises and tasks.
One of the early operational tasks for the Tac Dog Troop was to provide security at the first Severn Bridge crossing, several days prior to the Official Opening on the 8 September 1966 by HM Queen Elizabeth II; the Welsh Nationalists were threatening to disrupt the opening. Due to the successful operations by the unit, the Official opening was carried out without any disturbance.
‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland started in earnest during 1969. Many handlers were subsequently deployed to NI within 8 hours, departing from RAF Benson in Berkshire. On arrival the handlers formed the nucleus of what became the very successful Army Dog Unit. 101 MWD Sqn is now part of 1 MWD Regt based at North Luffenham.
Pte Trev Ball with his Tracker dog Don in a Sioux helicopter
‘The Forerunner to 101 MWD Sqn’ A brief History of the Tactical Dog Troop
103 Headquarter and Support Squadron (Hq &Sp Sqn) was formed on the 01 Aug 2018 to bring together all of the supporting elements within 1 MWD Regiment (Logistics (including Transport and Equipment Support), Training, Administration, Security and Guarding, Welfare, Career Management and Operational Support (Cyprus Troop)) under one Squadron. With a tagline of “9 Departments, 7 Cap Badges-1 Team” the Sqn has worked hard over the last year to forge a solid ethos by building a clear sense of identity -cue Squadron Sweatshirts and T-Shirts, an awareness of our history which was an easy win for the OC who was SSM when 103 formed as an independent Sub Unit in 2008 and our role within the Unit -we don’t do the sexy stuff but 103 Sqn play a pivotal part in getting the MWD handlers “on the ground”. A number of cohesion events, a natural competitive nature on Squadron
By Major Sean Jones
PT and the tendency to project onto Social Media at the drop of a hat have certainly helped us to achieve the aim!
The latest initiative saw the Squadron take time out of their busy schedule to hold a Wellbeing Day on Wednesday the 16th of October with the aim of promoting physical and mental resilience. Staff Sgt Masters and his Gym Staff started the day off with a tough ( no change there!) PT session that certainly made everyone dig into their reserves. We were then all extremely grateful that the next serial was an Athlete’s Breakfast
kindly produced by Sgt Vermeulen from the Welfare Department. There was an amazing spread of healthy options that was appreciated by all. Next was an excellent session led by the Welfare Officer Captain Manson, that gave everyone a chance to learn about mental health and discuss issues and share experiences. The squadron were back in the gym in the afternoon for an hour for a relaxed ( although typically for 103 it soon got competitive!) and fun game of volleyball. We finished the day with a barbecue kindly organised by SSgt Scott and his team from the MPGS and a few drinks in the Dragons Den for all squadron personnel and their families. It’s widely recognised that eating well, exercising, socialising with friends and education are key to promoting mental and physical resilience - 103 Sqn certainly nailed them all that day so thank you to all that facilitated it.
103 (HQ&Sp Sqn) – 1 MWD Regt
CHIRON CALLING 19