History of the RCA Badge
Our collection at the RCA Museum contains countless military badges, patches and plates tucked away into old boxes and envelopes. These badges bear images identifying different ranks and units across the army. These symbols, known as insignias, existed long before the establishment of the Canadian Army and often tell a story, offering a glimpse into a military unit’s history.
RCA Museum staff recently unboxed a gold-painted, late 1800s helmet plate that tells the story of our military ties to the British Army. The ornate plate, about 4 inches by 3 inches, was pinned on helmets, cross belt pouches or sabretaches (flat bags) as part of the Gunner’s uniform. It features the United Kingdom’s Royal Coat of Arms perched on a left-facing field cannon surrounded by various mottos.
Until 1832, the British Royal Regiment of Artillery’s insignia (helmet plate) consisted of the Ordnance Coat of Arms or the monarch’s Royal Cypher. Then, King William IV approved a new badge for the regiment: the Royal Coat of Arms with a 9-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon underneath. The symbols displayed on the Royal Arms are attributed to the monarchy and the countries that make up the UK.
Inscribed on the British badge are The Royal Artillery mottos “Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt” (Whither Right and Glory Lead) and “Ubique” (Everywhere), as well as the sovereign’s motto, “Dieu et mon droit” (God and my right). The ancient Order of the Garter’s motto, “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (Evil to him who evil thinks), also appeared on the arms. The Royal Regiment of Artillery used this intricate sign as the “full achievement of the badge,” a heraldry term meaning the complete depiction of the Gunners’ insignia.
Even though the Canadian Militia served under the British Army before Confederation, Canadian batteries started marking themselves from their English brothers around the mid-1800s. In 1855, Canadian artillerymen wore a helmet plate with the motto “CANADA” instead of “UBIQUE” on a scroll above the cannon. Gunners wore the Canadian helmet plate until 1907. After that date, the uniform headdress got smaller, and Gunners wore an abbreviated version of the badge on their caps with the same field gun, mottos, and imperial crown without the Royal Coat of Arms.
Over the years, The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery has made additional changes to the Artillery Cap Badge. In 1926, they replaced the word “CANADA” with “UBIQUE” once again, and in 1961, they dropped the Tudor Crown and replaced it with Queen Elizabeth II’s St. Edward Crown. The cap badge of today displays a 9-pounder smoothbore cannon facing left, with a rammer against the wheel. Above the gun, you can see the Imperial crown and a scroll that says “UBIQUE” which as their motto represents all past and future battle honours.