6 ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION. 



The outcome of the South African War was the creation 

 of an Army Veterinary Corps with its own personnel, and with 

 a Eecord Office and Depot to carry out transfers, postings^ 

 training, etc. Regimental Sick lines in the larger garrisons 

 were re-constructed into Veterinary Hospitals and manned by 

 Army Veterinary Corps personnel. The personnel was grouped 

 into Sections, A.V.C., and these formed the nuclei of Veterinary 

 units in the field. Expansion on first mobilisation was by 

 means of Cavalry reservists, ear-marked as horse-keeper or 

 groom personnel, but subsequently these were obtained by 

 recruitment direct. 



The introduction of Mechanical Transport revolutionised the 

 old idea of drafting back ineffective animals to the Second line 

 Transport, and brought about the necessity for suitable means 

 for evacuation, and Mobile Veterinary Sections for this purpose 

 were conceived as a veterinary war measure. 



Such progress had Army Veterinary Service at Home made 

 in the year before the late war that it was drawn into staff 

 exercises, and even a few months before the outbreak of hostil- 

 ities a Veterinary Staff exercise, complete with its administrative 

 Officers, Veterinary Officers in charge of Field units. Mobile 

 Veterinary Sections and Veterinary Hospital arrangements, 

 was successfully carried out at Aldershot on a Scheme arranged 

 by the General Staff. 



So that, when the crucial moment of War came, Veterinary 

 Service in the field had more or less a definite policy on which 

 to work, which may be briefly summarised as follows : — 



Administrative Vety. Officers with Gr.H.Q. and I.G.C. 



Administrative Vety. Officers with Field Formations. 



Executive Vety. Officers with Units and Eemount Depots. 



An Officer I/C Eecords at the Base (HI Echelon). 



Mobile Vety. Sections for evacuation of sick. 



Veterinary Hospitals on Lines of Communication. 



Base Depots of Veterinary Stores. 

 The Veterinary units of the original British Expeditionary 

 Force which landed in France during August 1914 comprised : 

 6 Veterinary Hospitals, each for 250 patients. 

 11 Mobile Veterinary Sections. 

 2 Base Depots of Veterinary Stores. 



