| Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | Redesignated Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps 3 Nov 1919; Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps 17 Jul 1936; Disbanded 2 Nov 1940. Currently disbanded/decommissioned/inactive. |
| Country | Canada |
| Type | Corps |
| Role | (Canadian Army) Permanent Active Militia |
| Military history of Canada |
|
|---|---|
| This article is part of a series | |
| History of.. | |
| Colonial militia Crown & Forces Army · Navy · Air Force |
|
| Conflicts | |
| Beaver Wars King William's War Queen Anne's War Dummer's War King George's War Father Le Loutre's War French and Indian War American Civil War War of 1812 Fenian raids Wolseley Expedition North-West Rebellion Boer War First World War Russian Civil War Spanish Civil War Second World War Cold War Korean War Vietnam War Gulf War Afghanistan War Iraq War Intervention in Libya |
|
| Lists | |
| Conflicts · Operations · Victories Peacekeeping · Bibliography |
|
| Canadian Forces portal | |
The Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps (RCAVC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. [1]
The Canadian Army Permanent Veterinary Corps was founded in 1910. The Canadian Army Permanent Veterinary Corps was redesignated the Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps on 3 Nov 1919. The Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps was redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps on 17 Jul 1936. The Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps was disbanded on 2 Nov 1940. [2]
The cap badge of the RCAVC was similar to that of Britain's Royal Army Veterinary Corps, but featured a larger figure of Chiron in a wreath of maple leaves surmounted by a Tudor crown, with the letters RCAVC on the ribbon.
Contents |
Prior to 1910, veterinarians in the Canadian Army were part of the old regimental system. Most veterinarians held a commission in the active militia and left private practice for 10-15 days a year to serve with his regiment. There was only a small number of permanently employed regimental veterinary officers.
In 1910, the Canadian Army Veterinary Service, under the Quartermaster-General of the Canadian Militia, came into existence and had three branches: the Canadian Permanent Army Veterinary Corps (CPAVC), the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps (CAVC) and the Regimental Veterinary Service, which was being phased out. By the outbreak of war in 1914, the Regimental Veterinary Service had ceased to exist, the CPAVC was still incomplete, so the majority of veterinarians and other ranks were found in the CAVC.
The CAVC was organized into seven Sections, though only two, Winnipeg and Montreal, were at a state of readiness at the outbreak of war: London, Ontario; Toronto; Kingston, Ontario; Quebec; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Winnipeg and Calgary. There was also a Senior Veterinary Officer, headquartered in Kingston. Within each Division or District, there was a Principal Veterinary Officer. Provision was also made for a Canadian Army Veterinary School.
In 1919 the CPAVC was reconstituted as the Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps. In 1940, the RCAVC was disbanded by the Privy Council and the recommendation of the Treasury Board, in order to save $10,334.
Harry Colebourn (April 12, 1887 – September 24, 1947), veterinarian with the Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, is best known for donating a bear cub named "Winnie" (short for "Winnipeg") to the London Zoo.
This unit was allied with the following: