Q1″A”. Who granted and assigned the Armorial Ensigns for the Royal
Military College of Canada?
A. His Majesty King George V;
B. Duke of Devonshire, Governor-General of Canada;
C. Sir Robert Borden, Prime Minister of Canada; or
D. Arthur Meighen, Prime Minister of Canada
“Per pale Azure and Gules on the Dexter side a Scaling Ladder Argent
ensigned by a Mural Crown Or and on the Sinister side two Swords in
saltire of the third points upward, on a Chief of the fourth three
grenades of the first fired proper, an Inescutcheon charged with the
Union Badge and for the Crest on a Wreath of the Colours An Arm in
armour embowed gauntletted and holding a Sprig of three Maple Leaves
and ensigned by the Imperial Crown all proper, as the same are in the
painting hereunto annexed more plainly depicted to be borne by our
said Royal Military College of Canada on Seals, Shields, Banners,
Flags or otherwise according to the Laws of Arms.”
More trivia from 3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC ’03)
e-v readers may find the RMC’s founding legislation interesting.
I scanned and attached the 1874 Act – which may be found at the end of this article.
Some of the statements in the 1874 Act are so off the wall (from my
perspective as a 2003 grad) that they are suited to True False &
multiple choice formats. Identify which of the following statements
are in the 1874 Act.
1″B”. Such institution to be known as the Royal Military College, and to
be located in Kingston, Ontario, one of the garrison towns of Canada.
T or F
2. The salary of the Commandant to be not more than three thousand
dollars, and the salaries of the other professors to be not more than
two thousand dollars each. T or F
3. No candidate will be accepted who is under sixteen or over twenty-
one years of age. T or F
4. The Governor in Council may admit officers of the Active Militia,
although over the age of twenty years, but at no time to exceed ten
in number. T or F
5. Choose the best answer
1. All candidates for admission to the College as students will be
required to:
a) pass an examination before a Board of Examiners appointed by the
Governor in Council
b) pass a medical
c) produce evidence of good moral character.
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
6. Each cadet will be required to furnish himself with
a) a mattress and bedding,
b) books and such apparatus as may not be supplied by the Government,
c) a contribution in aid of the expense of procuring mess room table
furniture.
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
7. To meet the ordinary expenses of living, and procuring uniform, a
sum not exceeding the rate of —-, and such allowances as may, from
time to time, be authorized by the Governor in Council, may be paid
for each cadet during such period as he may remain at the college.
a) three hundred dollars per week
b) three hundred dollars per month
c) three hundred dollars per term
d) three hundred dollars per year
Answer 1″A”: His Majesty King George V, granted and assigned the Armorial Ensigns
for the Royal Military College of Canada at the Court at St. James’s on July 31, 1920, in the eleventh year of his Reign.
Answers:
1″B”: False (Military College) (Kingston, Ontario was not specified);
2.: True; 3 False (under 15 or over 20 years of age); 4 True; 5. d; 6. d;
7. d) three hundred dollars per year.
Background:
The Military College in Kingston was established by an act of the
Canadian Parliament in May 1874 “for the purpose of providing a
complete education in all branches of military tactics,
fortification, engineering, and general scientific knowledge in
subjects connected with and necessary to thorough knowledge of the
military profession, and for qualifying officers for command and
staff appointments. Such institution to be known as the Military
College, and to be located in some one of the garrison towns of
Canada.” “An Act to Establish a Military College” was reproduced in
full in Canada’s RMC, pp. 387-388.
“The Royal Military College of Canada Degrees Act, 1959,” passed by
the 25th Ontario Legislature and given Royal Assent on March 26,
1959, empowers the College to confer degrees in Arts, Science, and
Engineering. RMC now offers a wide variety of programmes in these
three areas, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels offered
both on site through traditional studies and by distance learning
through the Division of Continuing Studies.
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A MILITARY COLLEGE IN ONE OF THE GARRISON TOWNS OF CANADA.[Assented to 26th May, 1874.]
Whereas it is expedient to make further provision for the education of Cadets and Officers of Militia in military knowledge and scientific pursuits connected with the military profession: Therefore Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
1. An institution shall be established for the purpose of imparting a complete education in all branches of military tactics, fortification, engineering and general scientific knowledge in subjects connected with and necessary to a thorough knowledge of the military profession and for qualifying officers for command and for staff appointments. Such institution to be known as the Military College, and to be located in some one of the garrison towns of Canada.
2.The College shall be conducted under the superintendence of a military officer having special qualifications with regard to the instruction to be given and discipline, whose title or designation shall be that of Commandant. There shall also be two other professors or instructors, and such other assistants as may be found necessary and as may be authorized by Parliament. The salary of the Commandant to be not more than three thousand dollars, and the salaries of the other professors to be not more than two thousand dollars each. All the staff of the College to be appointed by the Governor in Council and to hold office during pleasure.
3. The College shall be governed and its affairs administered under and according to regulations to be made from time to time and approved by the Governor Council, such regulations to be published in the Canada Gazette, and after such publication to have the force of law as fully as if they were contained in this Act, of which they shall be deemed to form a part.
4. A Board of Examiners shall be appointed by the Governor in Council, in military district, consisting of three or more members, one of whom shall, practicable, be an officer of the militia staff, who shall be authorized to examine candidates for admission to the College as cadets, and give certificates form to be provided), to such as are able to qualify according to the regulations which may be adopted. Meetings of such Boards shall be held when by the Department of Militia and Defence.
5. All candidates for admission to the College as students shall be required to an examination before the Examiners as provided in the next preceding from whom a certificate must be obtained, that they are proficient is subjects to be prescribed. They will also be required to pass a medical and produce evidence of good moral character. No candidate will be accepted who is under fifteen or over twenty years of age.
6. The Examiners shall transmit to the Department of Militia and Defence a report of the names of all candidates who succeed in obtaining certificates, for the information of the Governor in Council, with a report of each meeting, which report may embody any particular circumstances connected with the examination or any special recommendation.
7. The number of cadets with which the College may be opened shall not exceed twenty-two. And thereafter, for the first two years, the annual admission shall not exceed three from each military district, and after the third year shall not be more than two in each year from each military district. The selection shall be made by the Governor in Council from the list of names forwarded by the Boards of Examiners, having reference to the order of merit in which the applicants pass their preliminary examinations. The collegiate term shall be four years.
8. In the event of there being no names forwarded as provided from one or more of the military districts, either on account of there being no applicants for examination or a failure in obtaining a certificate, then the Governor in Council may select the required number from candidates who have passed an examination in any of the other districts.
9. The Governor in Council may, for special reasons in the interests of the service, admit for a limited time, officers of the Active Militia, although over the age of twenty years, who shall have obtained a first-class certificate under the provisions of the thirty-third section of “An Act respecting the Militia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada,” (thirty-first Victoria, chapter forty,) such admissions to be under such regulations as the Governor in Council may approve, and in addition to the number provided for in section seven of this Act, but at no time to exceed ten in number.
10. Each cadet will be required to furnish himself with a mattress and bedding, books and such apparatus as may not be supplied by the Government, and to pay a contribution in aid of the expense of procuring mess room table furniture. To meet the ordinary expenses of living, and procuring uniform, a sum not exceeding the rate of three hundred dollars per annum, and such allowances as may, from time to time, be authorized by the Governor in Council, may be paid for each cadet during such period as he may remain at the college.
11. Every person entering upon a course of instruction in the College shall sign a roll of entry, and be thenceforward, for the period of his pupilage, subject to the Queen’s rules and regulations, the mutiny act, the rules and articles of war and to such other rules and regulations as Her Majesty’s troops are subjected to.