heraldist1

Vol.12, no.1 (Feb. 2000)

THE HERALDRY SOCIETY OF CANADA/ LA SOCIÉTÉ. HÉRALDIQUE DU CANADA OTTAWA VALLEY BRANCH/LA VALLÉE DE L'OUTAOUAIS

[Extract from] President’s Final 1999 Branch Overview

I am taking this opportunity to express a personal thank you to the general membership and executive members of the OVB-HSC for your support over the past year of heraldic activity. In 1999, the branch held a number of successful special heraldic gala events, which I have detailed (see my report “Branch Heraldic Activity Overview-1999” in the November issue of the branch newsletter Heraldist). The OVB Annual General Meeting (AGM) and last formal heraldic dinner scheduled for this year was held on November 18, 1999, at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Officers Mess. An excellent turn out (38 members and guests) enjoyed a most enlightening presentation by Glenn Wright, RCMP Staff Historian (published in this issue), assisted by Dr William (Bill) Beahen, Force Historian, and access coordinated by Chief Superintendent Cal Corley, ably and efficiently assisted by Suzanne Babisky. A special OVB and personal thank you is extended to them for their time, effort and assistance

The evening was shared with members of the St Andrew's Society, and a special thank you is extended to Ellen Maier for her wonderful highland dance and to Pipe Sgt/Maj Fraser Clark, for his professional piping for Ellen's dance, piping in all those in attendance for the dinner, "Amazing Grace" piped prior to the start of the dinner during a reflective moment in memory of those branch members who have died, and other tunes requested. I would like to thank Charles R. Maier, Athabasca Herald, and Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel MacKay, CD, for their assistance in arranging piper services for the evening. I was honoured to present to the Athabasca Herald, for inclusion in the Canadian Heraldic Authority (CHA) reference library, a book entitled Herby Roddów Polskiej (Polish Coats of Arms) (incorporating Herby szlachty polskiej the work of Zbigniew Leszczyc, originally published in 1908, containing 440 colour plates of polish coats of arms and the most comprehensive list of Polish noble surnames - 20,000), London, 1990.

MONARCHY, THE ROYAL CANADlAN MOUNTED POLlCE AND HERALDRY (PART 1)
by Glenn Wright, RCMP Staff Historian

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have had a long and historic royal connection. First organized as the North-West Mounted Police in 1873, the prefix ”Royal" was conferred in the Coronation Honours List published on June 24, 1904. It was a much coveted honour to have the official recognition of the Crown, indeed only one other police force at the time (the Royal lrish Constabulary) had been granted such a privilege. For three decades, the Mounted Police had been agents of the national policy in western Canada and more recently in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. The NWMP was intimately linked with the expansion, development and settlement of the country. More than this, the Mounted Police had contributed over 250 men to the South African War in a demonstration of Empire solidarity. The new century belonged to Canada, claimed Sir Wilfred Laurier.

The NWMP was formed in 1873-1874 to bring law, order and authority to the western plains, a vast area from the Manitoba boundary west to the Rocky Mountains once the domain of the Hudson Bay Company, the region known as the North West Territories, was transferred to the new Dominion of Canada in 1869. In order to realize the vision of a new nation stretching from sea to sea, Sir John A. Macdonald and the Fathers of Confederation were eager to lay claim to the west in order to counter American interest in the region. To round out Confederation in the west, British Columbia was promised a rail link to the east, the Canadian Pacific Railway would stretch across the prairies, bringing settlement and development in its wake.

During the summer of 1874, the Mounted Police made their historic march west from Manitoba to what is today southern Alberta. In short order, posts, were established, treaties with the native peoples were consummated, law and order prevailed. For the next twenty years, the NWMP played a.key role in the development of western Canada. And it was a role that went far beyond policing. Peaceful relations with the First Nations were essential and by and large this was achieved without an excess of violence. The railway was completed, villages and towns sprang to life, settlers arrived to start anew.

If, by the mid-1890’s, the western frontier had been tamed, the Mounted Police faced a new challenge in the north. Even before gold was discovered in quantities that would ignite the Klondike gold rush, the Mounted Police were firmly established in the Yukon by 1895. For the next several years, the remote gold fields were the focus of attention for the Mounted Police, if not the world.

Members of the NWMP were loyal servants of the Canadian government, and a large dose of that loyalty was transferred to the Empire with the outbreak of war in South Africa in 1899. A large number of men clamoured for leave in order to serve. Sam Steele. a larger than life figure in the Mounted Police since its formation in 1873, raised Lord Strathcona’s Horse and attracted dozens of Mounted Policemen to its ranks. In total, over 250 volunteered as part of Canada’s contribution to the Empire’s cause.

For these reasons: our role in settling the west, our work in the Yukon, our contribution to the war effort, King Edward VII. granted the prefix “Royal” in June 1904. A.B. Perry, Commissioner of the Mounted Police at the time, acknowledged the recognition as a “great distinction”. It was one that the Royal Northwest Mounted Police would continue to merit only "by loyalty, integrity and devotion to duty." At the same time, the Mounted Police appointed its first Honourary Commissioner. The Earl of Minto, former governor general of Canada and a strong and vocal supporter of the Mounted Police, was granted the distinction in 1904 and retained the title until 1914. The honour lay dormant during the First World War but in March 1920, Edward, Prince of Wales (one of the most popular, and infamous, members of the Royal family in this century) accepted the title “Honourary Commandant”, retained until he abdicated the throne as Edward VlII. in December 1936. The tradition continued, however. George VI. was invited to become Honourary Commissioner of the RCMP and he readily accepted, as did his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

With this “royal” relationship in mind, one can now look al the various symbols used by the RCMP that have a heraldic connection or significance. These are four in number: the badge of the RCMP, the guidon, divisional ensigns, and the more recently designed RCMP tartan.

1. THE RCMP BADGE

In an age of unique corporate insignia, the RCMP has had a distinctive badge for the past one hundred and twenty-five years. And distinctive it is -- a bufffalo head bordered with the motto, “Maintiens le Droit” surrounded by the truest of Canadian symbols, the maple leaf.

The real origins of the RCMP badge have been lost to history. In 1897, a fire in the West Block of the Parliament Buildings destroyed the earliest records of the Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP), but in spite of the loss of documentation it is apparent that the first badge of the Mounted Police, featuring the buffalo and the motto, was manufactured as early as 1876. Who designed the badge is also, a mystery, although RCMP historians are willing to concede that it was probably Sir George French, first Commissioner of the Mounted Police from October 1873 until he resigned in July 1876. It is instructive to examine the various elements of the badge. Although the badge bar has been modified, or modernized over the intervening years, it is still essentially the badge that Commissioner French devised in 1875 or early 1876. The buffalo is the most striking feature. When George French and the first Mounted Police arrived on the prairies in the summer of 1874, almost to a man they were struck by the power and majesty of the buffalo. and were keenly aware of the value of the buffalo to the peoples of the First Nations and the Metis. Members of the Mounted Police too realized the value of the buffalo for food and for clothing. Some recognized too that nothing characterized the western plains as much as buffalo. Whatever the reason, Commissioner French chose the buffalo as a symbol of the Mounted Police.

The motto is not original. Some years ago, then RCMP historian Stan Horrall, discovered that the motto had been used by the Grand Trunk Railway Brigade in the 1860’s, indeed, the motto was used by more than one British family and had been for centuries. It was also the motto of the Brydges family. Mr. Horrall also determined that it was probably Fred White, a senior clerk in the Justice Department in Ottawa responsible for the Mounted Police in the capital, who suggested the motto “Maintien le Droit” for the NWMP. White had worked for the Grand Trunk Railway when the motto was current.

The original badge also featured the St. Edward crown (and would do so until the turn of the century) and a wreath of maple leaves. The first substantial changes to the design of the badge took place in 1904. Following our work in the Yukon during the gold rush, our contribution to the South African War and not a small amount of gentle persuasion by Governor General, the Earl of Minto, the NWMP was granted the honour of using the prefix “Royal”. Thus, from June 1904 until February 1920 (when a further change took place), we were known as the Royal Northwest Mounted Police.
When the word "Royal" was added to our name, the badge was redesigned and the St. Edward Crown was replaced by thc Tudor Crown. In 1916, the motto was revised, in accord with modern French language practices, with an “s” on the word "Maintien" to read "Maintiens le Droit".

No further changes were made until 1953 when at the express wish of the new monarch, Queen Elizabeth II., the Tudor Crown was replaced once more with St. Edward Crown. About the same time, the badge was submitted for the first time to the College of Arms for re-designing according to heraldic procedures. In addition to the new crown, the number of maple leaves was reduced to twelve, one for each of the provinces and the two territories. The new design was approved by federal Order-in-Council on February 25, 1954 and promulgated throughout the RCMP by General Order on March 27, of the same year. The official description of the badge then as now reads as follows:

The badge of the Force shall be a bison's head facing frontwise, in natural colours, on a blue background, surrounded by a blue band, with a gold border, inscribed with the motto "Maintiens Le Droit", in gold, surrounded by twelve maple leaves. Under the device, a gold-edged blue scroll bearing the legend: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in gold. Above the device, the St. Edward's Crown in the proper colours and metals. Under the crown, on a blue Scroll, the name “Canada”.

2. THE RCMP GUIDON

Cavalry standards and guidons date from the Middle Ages when knights carried their own banners. The square standard was carried by a banneret while the guidon, distinguished from a standard by its point or tail, was carried by a knight. When a knight became a banneret, the point was removed from his banner, transforming it from a guidon to a standard. This distinction denoted seniority and is still much in evidence, being highly cherished by cavalry regiments privileged to carry standards and guidons. They represent the history and honours of the regiment and are symbolic of dedication to duty to both sovereign and country. Today, standards are carried by senior regiments. Dragoon regiments, such as the RCMP which was designated a dragoon type regiment, have the guidon.

The 1930’s were far removed from days of medieval knights, but the RCMP guidon dates from this decade during the commissionership of Sir James MacBrien. James MacBrien was the first commissioner of the RCMP appointed from outside the Mounted Police since 1886. His tasks were: to rejuvenate the Mounted Police, to modernize law enforcement practices and techniques, and to instill pride in the ranks. To do so, Sir James instituted a number of customs, including a Long Service Medal, a quarterly magazine dedicated to the history and traditions of the Mounted Police. He inspired the creation of new methods of fighting crime, the use of forensic science, the establishment of a Mounted Police aviation section. These and many more changes were an attempt to renew the RCMP, to transform it from a nineteenth century police force based in western Canada to a truly national and modern police service. The Mounted Police had a fine record. MacBrien made sure that everyone knew about it and herein lies the origins of the RCMP guidon.

The RCMP has had two guidons, the first was consecrated at Regina, Saskatchewan, on April 13, 1935 and presented to the Mounted Police by His Excellency the Earl of Bessborough, Governor General of Canada. The guidon was crimson silk, with gold embroidery and measured three feet, five inches by two feet, three inches. It displayed two Royal Cyphers and RCMP badges with four campaign honours, namely: North West Canada. 1885, South Africa 1900-1902, France and Flanders 1918, and Siberia, 1918-1919. The badge of the Canadian Provost Corps, presented at a Parliament Hill ceremony on September 21, 1957 completed the honours of the Guidon. This latter distinction, honourary in nature, was conferred by command of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II., in recognition of the RCMP contribution to the Provost Corps during the Second World War. The lance (eight feet, six inches in length) was surmounted with the Royal Crest, both lion and crown firegilt and hand-burnished.

Sixteen years later, on the occasion of our lOOth anniversary, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. presented a new Guidon to the RCMP which was consecrated at Regina, Saskatchewan on July 4, 1973. A number of key alterations had been made to the design of the guidon for example, the RCMP badge, in the centre of the guidon, was replaced by the re-designed version. The Royal Cypher "GRV" in the top left corner was replaced by "ER II."; the placement of the three wreathed scrolls, consisting of the RCMP's present and former monograms was reorganized. These monograms (NWMP, RNWMP, RCMP) and the colour and shape of the maple leaves were altered and, finally, the badge of the Canadian Provost Corps was replaced by a new campaign honour for those members who served in the Second World War, namely “Europe 1939-1945".

The guidon is sacred. It speaks to the history and traditions of the RCMP, to James MacBrien's dream of a police service that was proud of its past while being thoroughly modern in every respect. The RCMP guidon is only used on official ceremonial or state occasions and is never flown with any other flag. When not being used, the guidon is housed on display in the foyer of the Leonard Nicholson Building, national headquarters of the RCMP in Ottawa.

(to be concluded in our next issue)

HERALDIC SUPPORTERS OF AMHERST OF MONTREAL

After Wolfe’s death on the Plains of Abraham, in 1759 the British commander-in-chief Jeffrey Amherst basked in the glory of the former’s victory. Those events and his suppression of Pontiac’s rebellion led, despite his cavalier treatment of the natives, to his being reckoned a “great man”. He was knighted in 1761, raised to the peerage in 1776, and received a second barony in 1778 as Amherst of Montreal. To mark the latter occasion, two North American aboriginals were added as supporters to his arms. Peter Kane in the Coat of Arms (Winter edition 1999) calls the blazons of these latter “almost certainly the longest and most detailed” descriptions of all peers’ supporters.

Dexter - a Canadian Indian of a copper colour his exterior arm embowed holding an axe erect, proper rings in his nose and ears and bracelets on his arms and wrists argent, over his shoulder two buff belts in saltire, suspended from one his powder horn on his right side and from the other his scalping knife on his left, before him a short apron azure, tied round the waist with a belt gules fimbriated or, on the legs blue gaiters, seamed gold, his ankles fettered together and the chain affixed to the bracelet on his exterior wrist proper. Sinister - a similar Indian holding in his exterior hand a tomahawk, the lower end resting on his hip, and on the other end a scalp proper.

The remainder of Lord Amherst’s blazon is unexceptional: Shield - Gules three tilting spears erect two and one Or points Argent.
Crest - On a mount Vert three tilting spears points upwards one in pale and two in saltire as in the arms, entwined by a leaf of laurel proper.
Motto - CONSTANTIA ET VIRTUTE.

“ODSBODKINS!“ THAT’S REAL HERALDRY!

In a recent obituary of John Skelton, the celebrated English sculptor, reference was made to many of his works in prominent locations. For example in St. Paul’s Cathedral are memorials he carved for Winston Churchill, and 10 field marshals. Of special interest to the heraldist is the coat of arms he made of fiberglass for the Shakespeare Centre at Stratford-on-Avon. It was nine feet high! (National Post. 1st Dec.1999, p.A12)

BAYEUX TAPESTRY REVISITED

La Tapisserie de Bayeux. pub. City of Bayeux. (n.d.) continuous strip reproduction, scale: one-seventh original size, scene captions in French, English and German, available in some book or specialty shops such as Past Times. This long embroidered “tapestry” illustrates a narrative which depicts the story of William I.’s claim to succession as king, and his eventual conquest, of England during 1064-1066.

Because of its great length (70 metres/about 230 feet), it is not surprising that outside of large monographs one ordinarily sees only isolated illustrations of its parts. Even reduced to this scale, when its pleats are extended, it reaches nearly 8 metres/over 27 feet. However in folded form it is easy to handle and study. The quality of the detail and colour is very good, but a magnifying glass may be necessary to study details.