Directors of Veterinary Services in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: Arthur Olver, 1906-1908

Arthur Olver was born in 1875 the son of a Cornish farmer. He was elected Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1897. After two years in private practice he joined the Army Veterinary Service in 1899. In South Africa in 1901-1906, Olver served with the British cavalry in the Boer War, worked in Theiler's laboratory, was Senior Veterinary Officer in Natal and Assistant to the Principal Veterinary Officer, South Africa Command. Seconded to the Egyptian Army he was Principal Veterinary Officer (Director, Veterinary Services) in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in 1906-1908. He first reported several livestock diseases, pleaded for a civilian veterinary service and is credited with stamping out rinderpest in the Nile Valley, thus allowing freer cattle trade from Central Africa to Egypt. He was in England and South Africa in 1908-1914, mainly in administrative posts. At Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force in Europe during World War One, Olver went to the USA in 1917 to re-organize purchase and transport of Army remounts. He occupied administrative posts in England and Ireland after the war and was Assistant Director of Veterinary Services, Egypt Command, 1922-1927. Posted to India in 1928 Olver resigned his commission in 1930 to become Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Imperial Council of Agricultural Research. He unified husbandry and veterinary aspects of the livestock sector, set about improving local breeds, attempted to control disease (including rinderpest), organized breeders and instituted livestock shows. In 1939 he became Principal, Royal (Dick) Veterinary School. Retiring to a farm in 1946 he moved into suburbia in 1956 and died at the age of 86 in 1961. Olver was married and had three children. In addition to Boer and First World War campaign medals Olver received the Turkish Order of Osmanieh, was made a Companion of the Bath and of the Order of St Michael and St George and was knighted in 1937. Colonel Sir Arthur Olver, CB, CMG is best known for his organizational skills on three continents rather than for practical veterinary work.