Army Veterinary Service?
 

Another curio from the Stroud auction. It was described as an Army Veterinary Service metal collar badge and as can be seen from the photograph is an interlinked AVS. I bid on it as I'm slowly putting together a number of veterinary badges and thought it might make a useful addition as it's one I've never seen.

But is that what it is?

The scant information I have available doesn't indicate to me that there was ever a badged AVS. But there does seem to be a period between the end of regimentally provided veterinary care in 1881 and the formation of the A V Corps in 1903 for NCO's and men to perhaps be in a badged AVS. Officers being in the badged A V Department from 1881. If that is the case and with a change of crown in 1901 it would have been very short lived.

I show it against similar collars for the AVD and AVC and though not of similar construction, the shape of the crown and laurel look the same which had steered me away from it being total fantasy.

Any thoughts.
Cheers
Mark

Army Veterinary School ?

" In 1880 the Army Veterinary School was formed at Aldershot where combatant officers were trained in the care and management of Army animals, the selection of remounts and basic veterinary first aid. "

The Museum of Military Medicine

Hi Mike
Thanks - that would be a very logical explanation - especially as it has the look of an officer's gilt and silver collar.

When reading the article there was only one vague mention of the 'Army Veterinary Service' :

"Following the mistakes from the Boer War there was huge pressure for the reform of the Army Veterinary Service from all quarters including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, politicians and the general public. "

Yet both the formation and closure of the school are noted :

" In 1880 the Army Veterinary School was formed at Aldershot "

"In 1938 the Army Veterinary School in Aldershot closed after 48 years."

I agree it is more likely to be School. Thanks for the input very much appreciated.
Mark

Those are very nice indeed!

Here is a button in my RAVC collection 'Army Veterinary Service', Howard Riply in is book on buttons shows EVIIR and GVR examples.
Regards
Sean

Gawd! I've just looked in my Quality Street Christmas tin that I chuck the odd button in now and again and lo and behold I have the same GVR button.

But I still don't get it. The Army Veterinary Corps for men and officers was formed in 1906 and a therefore a Geroge V Army Veterinary Services button must post date that event by at least 4 years

Mark

Concerning buttons, the 1906-1918/1919 period buttons come with both EVIIR & GVR cyphers. Confusingly, they have the title "Army Veterinary Service", rather than the correct Army Veterinary Corps. As regards Edward VII specifically, at the risk of making things even more complicated, all the foregoing applies to the period of his reign from 1906. Prior to that the buttons has the title "Army Veterinary Department" and the badges had a "AVD" monogram.

Prior to the 1790's there were no qualified veterinary surgeons (either military or civilian). Formal veterinary training began in 1791 with the foundation of a School of Veterinary Medicine in London.

The Army’s Veterinary Service was founded in 1796 'to improve the practice of Farriery in the Corps of Cavalry' when the public was outraged that more Army horses were lost as the result of poor care than by enemy action.

The Head of the Veterinary School was appointed as Principal Veterinary Surgeon to the Cavalry, and Veterinary Surgeon to the Board of Ordnance (responsible for Artillery and Engineers). He was also charged with the formation of the Army Veterinary Service through which a qualified veterinary surgeon was appointed to each cavalry regiment.

Veterinary surgeons were commissioned into the army, with appointments organized on a regimental basis and, as with the medical surgeons, regimental dress was worn. The Veterinary Medical Department was formed in 1858.

In 1881 the regimental appointments were abolished (except for the Household Cavalry) and an Army Veterinary Department (officers) formed followed by an Army Veterinary Corps (other ranks) in 1903. In 1906 the Army Veterinary Corps combined with the Army Veterinary Department to become a corps of all ranks, but without change of title.