48-01 - Royal Canadian Army Cadets Badge, Flags and Banners

Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATOs)

Introduction

1. Army Cadet corps have been organized on military lines since before Confederation in 1867, and for many years they carried the Union Jack without inscriptions as a banner. Prior to the Second World war, many Army Cadet corps were also in possession of unofficial "colours", normally smaller than the colours used by units of the Canadian Army. These flags were never authorized, but were used until the official definition of colours in 1943 stated that colours were presented to fighting units only.

2. The use of trumpet banners has its origin in military history. Trumpeters were important officers who accompanied a nobleman and his followers to war and at tournaments and jousts. They bore the banner of their Lord on their trumpets.

3. Although Pipe Banners have been used by Highland Chiefs from the mid-17th century, their subsequent development is mainly military, principally, as a Pipe Banner, used by the Pipers of Scottish Regiments.

4. His Majesty, King George VI, approved the title "Royal Canadian Army Cadets," in 1942 and Canadian Army General Order 483 of December 1942 designated Cadet Corps collectively as Royal Canadian Army Cadets.

5. Dimensions are shown in British/American units of measurement with metric equivalents for all flags and banners manufactured in accordance with sealed patterns.

Authority

6. The Director of Cadets (D Cdts) in consultation with the Director of History and Heritage (DHH) and the Army Cadet League of Canada is responsible for setting policy for the Royal Canadian Army Cadets badge, flags and banners.

The Badge of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets

7. The present design for the Badge of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets was approved by Her Majesty the Queen in May 1956.

8. The badge of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is authorized for use by Army cadets.

9. Description: A standard approved pattern red maple leaf, with the designation "RCAC" in green, edged gold, ensigned by the St. Edward's Crown in gold, with the motto "ACER ACERPORI" (as the Maple, so the Sapling) inscribed in green on a scroll in gold, edged green, at the base of the Maple Leaf. The badge shall be 13 inches by 14 inches (32.5 cm x 35 cm) in size.

Flags

10. The following flags are authorized for use by the Army Cadet Organization:

1. the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Flag; and
2. the Camp Flag of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.

Banners

11. The following banners are authorized for use by the Army Cadet Organization:

1. the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Banner;
2. the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Trumpet Banner; and
3. c.the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Pipe Banner.

Policy

12. The RCAC badge may be worn by army cadets. The appropriate flag or banner may be carried or flown by a cadet corps or Army Cadet Summer Training Centre (ACSTC).

13. The Army cadets flag and the Army Cadets Banner shall:

1. not be referred to as a standard or colour;
2. not be consecrated, although they may be dedicated;
3. not display battle honours; and
4. be paid compliments at all times by cadet instructors, civilian instructors and cadets.

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Royal Canadian Army Cadets Flag

14. The first Royal Canadian Army Cadets Flag was authorized in Canadian Army General Order 219 of May 1944. The new design of the RCAC Flag was approved by the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, in May 1972. The RCAC Flag is a distinctive flag for use by individual cadet corps.

15. The flag of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets shall be of white silk representing the white field of Canada, with fringe, cord and tassels of red and white which are the authorized colours of Canada. The size of the flag shall be 45 inches by 36 inches (112 cm x 90 cm), i.e., 3 feet 9 inches (1.1 m) flying and 3 feet (.1 m) deep along the staff, exclusive of the fringe. The fringe shall be 2 inches (5 cm) in depth.

16. The canton shall be the national flag of Canada, one ninth the whole area of the flag in size. The emblem in the centre of the flag shall be the Royal Canadian Army Cadets badge. Below the scroll shall be the number of the cadet corps in red Arabic numerals, 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) high. The length of the pole shall be 8 feet 7 1/2 inches (2.6 m). The finial shall be a spearhead form of open design.

17. There may be added to the flag any or all of the following badges, no larger than 7 inches by 7 inches (17.5 cm x 17.5 cm):

1. the badge of the sponsor in the upper fly;
2. the badge of the affiliated unit in the lower fly (subject to the concurrence of the Commanding Officer of the affiliated unit);
3. the badge of the county or city in the lower hoist; and
4. the fringe, cord and tassels may display the school colours, instead of red and white.

Royal Canadian Army Cadets Camp Flag

18. The design of the Camp Flag of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets was approved on 25 June 1957.

19. The Flag shall be of standard approved material in white. The size of the flag shall be 36 inches by 72 inches (90 cm x 180 cm), i.e., 3 feet by 6 feet (.9 m x 1.8 m).

20. In the centre and on both sides will be the official Royal Canadian Army Cadets badge. Below the scroll of the badge may be the designation of the ACSTC in red Arabic letters 2 1/4 inches (6 cm) high.

21. The Royal Canadian Army Cadets Camp Flag shall be for use at ACSTC only and shall be flown from a pole or mast at all ACSTC.

Royal Canadian Army Cadets Banner

22. The design of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Banner was approved by the Sovereign in July 1983 and was dedicated and presented on 20 August 1985 at the National Army Cadet Camp, Banff, Alberta by His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.

23. The design of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Banner is based on the Canadian Flag with the official badge of the Army Cadets in the centre. Prince Philip's cypher is in the top hoist and the devices from the badge of the Cadet Instructors Cadre (Land) are in the bottom fly. Individual corps and other devices are not authorized on this banner.

24. The original RCAC Banner presented by the Colonel-In-Chief is held in safe custody at the National Office of the Army Cadet League of Canada. ACSTC, RCIS and Provincial/Territorial branches of the Army Cadet League of Canada are authorized to purchase replicas of the Banner.

Royal Canadian Army Cadets Trumpet Banner

25. The Royal Canadian Army Cadets Trumpet Banner is a "badge-banner", in a technical sense, in that the official badge of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is emblazoned on both sides of the banner.

26. Individual devices are authorized on this banner in addition to the Army Cadets Badge.

27. The design of the Trumpet Banner of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets was approved by the Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, Lieutenant-General (ret'd) J. W. Quinn, CD, in May 1985, and was presented by the Colonel-in-Chief at the National Army Cadet Camp, Banff, Alberta on 20 August 1985.

Royal Canadian Army Cadets Pipe Banner

28. The Royal Canadian Army Cadets Pipe Banner is a guidon-shaped flag which is fastened to the large or bass drone of the bagpipe and hangs backwards over the Cadet Piper's shoulder, displaying the official badge of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets emblazoned on both sides of the banner.

29. Individual devices are authorized on this banner in addition to the Army Cadets Badge. For example, some former Colonels commandant (Major-General W. A. Howard and Lieutenant-General J. E. Vance) of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets have their own personal pipe banners which are carried periodically by Army Cadet pipers on ceremonial occasions.

30. The design of the Pipe Banner of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets was approved by the Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, Lieutenant-General (ret'd) J. W. Quinn, CD, in May 1985, and was presented by the Colonel-in-Chief at the National Army Cadet Camp, Banff, Alberta on 20 August 1985.

Issue of Badges, Flags and Banners

31. The Royal Canadian Army Cadets Badge as described in para 8 but in metal shall be the headdress badge of the RCAC and shall be issued against scale D08-107 Table B to army cadets who are not authorized to wear the affiliated unit headdress badge and shall be worn in accordance with CATO 46-01 – Army Cadet Dress Regulations.

32. The Camp Flag is included in the appropriate scales of issue for ACSTC. All other flags and banners shall not be issued at public expense but may be purchased by an army cadet corps or ACSTC at no expense to the public.

Purchase of Flags and Banners

33. The flags and banners of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets may be purchased from the following firm which holds the sealed patterns:

Dominion Regalia Limited
1550 O'Connor Drive
Toronto, Ontario
M4B 2V3

Pictorial References

34. A coloured pictorial reference of the badge, flags and banners is displayed on the Army Cadet Badge Poster.

35. A pictorial reference showing the parts of a flag is included below.

References

• CATO 46-01 - Army Cadet Dress Regulations, superseded by A-CR-CCO-100/AG-001 CJCR Dress Instructions

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OPI: D Cdts 4-4

Date: Feb 02

Amendment: Ch 1/02