Army Veterinary Service?

[dubaiguy]

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