Royal Army Veterinary Corps

The Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision, training and care of animals. It is a small but technically competent corps forming part of the Army Medical Services. Unusually, although it is responsible for providing what might be termed materiel, it is under the control of the Adjutant-General, who is in charge of personnel.

The RAVC provides,trains and cares for mainly dogs and horses, but also tends to the various regimental mascots in the army.

The original Army Veterinary Service was founded in 1796 by public outrage concerning the death of Army horses. John Shipp was the first veterinary surgeon to be commissioned into the British Army when he joined the 11th Light Dragoons on 25 June 1796. This date is recognised as RAVC's foundation day (aka John Shipp Day).

The main location for the RAVC is the Defence Animal Centre based at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire although staff are spread throughout the Army. They are also responsible for explosives and drug sniffer dogs.

Some of its numbered units are:-

101 Military Working Dog Support Unit RAVC, based at Buller Barracks,Aldershot.Part of 101 Logistic Brigade.102 Military Working Dog Support Unit RAVC, based at Sennelager in Germany.103 Military Working Dog Support Unit RAVC and104 Military Working Dog Support Unit RAVC

Sadie,a black labrador retriever belonging to 102 MWDSU and cared for by handler Lance Corporal Karen Yardley,won the PDSA Dickin Medal ("the animal VC") in 2007.

On Thursday 24 July 2008,Lance Corporal Kenneth Michael Rowe of the RAVC and attached to 2nd Battalion,The Parachute Regiment was killed along with his search dog,Sasha,during a contact with the Taliban in Helmand Province,Afghanistan.He was the 112th British service member to lose their life in that country.

Order of Precedence

References

*cite book
last=Smith
first=Frederick, Major-General Sir
authorlink=
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editor=
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title= A History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1796-1919. By Major-General Sir Frederick Smith.
origdate=
origyear=1927
origmonth=
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date=
year=1927
month=
publisher=Baillière & Co.
location=London
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pages=xii. 268
chapter=
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*cite book
last=Clabby
first=John, Brigadier
authorlink=
coauthors=
editor=
others=
title=The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1919-1961
origdate=
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url=
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date=
year=1963
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publisher=J. A. Allen & Co.
location=London
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pages=244
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*cite journal
quotes =
last = Milne
first = F. J. (reviewed by)
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 1963
month = September
title =The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1919-1961
journal = The Canadian Veterinary Journal
volume = 4
issue = 9
pages = 235
publisher =
location =
issn =
pmid =
doi =
bibcode =
oclc =
id =
url = http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1695409
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accessdate = 2008-05-13
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External links

* [http://www.army.mod.uk/medical/royal_army_veterinary_corps/ RAVC website] including [http://www.army.mod.uk/medical/royal_army_veterinary_corps/ravc_history/ history]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/RAVC.htm Regiments.org information]