DND/CF | Backgrounder | Restoring the Historic Designations of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force

DND/CF | Backgrounder | Restoring the Historic Designations of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force

Restoring the Historic Designations of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force

BG 11.016 - August 16, 2011
The Canadian Forces (CF) are restoring the historic names the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Army (CA), and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Since February 1, 1968, the names for the sea, air, and land elements of the CF have been known as Maritime Command, Land Force Command, and Air Command.
By restoring the historic identities of the three former services, the CF are also restoring an important and recognizable part of military heritage. These were the names under which Canadians fought and emerged victorious from the First World War, the Second World War, and from Korea, under which they contributed to deterrence and defence of Europe and North America from the early days of the Cold War. These were also the names under which Canadians served on the first international peacekeeping missions.
The renaming of these former services will not impact the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act established in 1968. The CF will remain a unified military; in no way will the change to the names diminish capabilities or compromise operational effectiveness.
The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act (1968)
On February 1, 1968, the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act (Bill C-243, informally referred to as the “Unification Act”) came into effect, and amended the National Defence Act to unify the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force as part of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). As of that day, the historic names of the three branches of the CAF disappeared. The abolition of the historic identities of the three branches of the CAF was unnecessary in terms of the integration and unification of the Armed Forces. Indeed, the restoration of these historic identities, as is now being undertaken, is in keeping with the terms of the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act.
The History of CF Environmental Names
Sea:
The Naval Service Act was proposed in the House of Commons in January 1910, and became law on May 4, 1910, establishing the Naval Service of Canada. On January 30th, 1911, the Government of Canada, under Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier, officially requested the designation of “Royal” for the Canadian navy from the United Kingdom. The decision took place during the Imperial Defence Conference (a conference that settled the issue of jurisdiction of the Dominion Navies) which coincided with the Coronation of His Majesty King George V in June 1911.
The letter announcing the bestowing of the “Royal” designation was dispatched from the Colonial Office in London, and dated August 16, 1911. It was received by His Excellency Albert Henry George Grey, Governor-General to the Government of Canada on August 29, 1911. The awarding of the “Royal Canadian Navy” title was accepted as a great honour by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier, as he believed it was a major step in Canada’s growing autonomy.
With the passing of the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act on February 1, 1968, which unified all commands of the CF, the RCN ceased to exist. The naval component of the CF was renamed the “Canadian Forces Maritime Command.”
Land:
Although the term “Canadian Army” had been used informally for years, the CA was only officially called by that name from 1940. Before that time, the militia included full-time regular and part-time units, and were the land forces acting in Canada’s defence. The Militia Act of 1855 was an attempt to professionalize these forces and rely less on British Regulars for continental defence, although this did not change significantly until after Confederation in 1867.
In 1914, the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was created and deployed to fight overseas in the First World War. In 1917, following its victory at Vimy Ridge, the Canadian Corps of four divisions came to be commanded by a Canadian general, Sir Arthur Currie, until it was demobilized upon the cessation of the conflict. In the Second World War, after Canada had independently declared war in September of 1939, the nation’s land forces underwent a significant reorganization, culminating in the 1940 titling of the Canadian Army (Overseas), the Canadian Army (Active) the Canadian Army (Reserve). Canada again demobilized its expeditionary force when the war ended, but the Regular Force and Reserve Force were known as army units until The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act came into effect.
In February of 1968, Force Mobile Command (FMC) was stood up and the Canadian Army ceased to exist. Although their official title is now Land Force Command (LFC), and has been for quite some time, the “army” has always been the colloquial term referring to Canada’s land forces. The Army was never given the prefix “Royal” as this honour is bestowed on individual Army units.
Air:
His Majesty King George V bestowed the “Royal” designation on the Canadian Air Force in 1923 but the title only became official when “The King’s Regulations and Orders” were promulgated on April 1, 1924.
Under the new organization, the RCAF was to be administered by a director responsible to the Chief of the General Staff. The RCAF was separated into three components: an Active (permanent) Air Force, an Auxiliary (part-time) Air Force and a non-active Reserve. The authorized establishment of the active air force on the day of the RCAF’s birth was a modest 68 officers and 307 airmen; the actual strength was 61 officers and 262 airmen. The dark blue uniform and insignia of the CAF was now replaced by the sky blue RCAF uniform patterned after the RAF uniform. The insignia, ensign and badges were similar to those of the Royal Air Force. “Sic Itur Ad Astra” gave way to the RCAF motto “Per Ardua Ad Astra” (through adversity to the stars).
In February 1968, the 45,000 officers, men and women of the RCAF, including 19 types of aircraft and support material, were incorporated into the single Canadian Armed Forces. This transformation initially fragmented the RCAF and the change from the air force blue to the CAF green uniform and to different rank titles was viewed with dismay by many personnel. RCAF headquarters was disbanded and air activities were carried out by a number of functional components. For example, support to land forces was performed by tactical air units under Land Force Command (Army). Maritime Command (Navy) took over functional control of coastal and embarked aircraft. Although the Army and the Navy retained their headquarters, the Air Force was left without a central authority until the establishment of Air Command in 1975.
The “Royal” Designation
Many Commonwealth nations use the “Royal” designation for their military forces. These include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Lucia and, of course, the United Kingdom.
Restoring the historical titles of the three former commands is an important way to recognize the CF’s history and aligns Canada with other key Commonwealth countries, whose militaries continue to use the “Royal” designation.
The Royal designation is used for many units of the CF, including:

• Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery;
• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada;
  
• Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians);
  
• Royal 22^e Régiment;
  
• The Royal Canadian Dragoons;
  
• The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal);
  
• The Royal Canadian Regiment;
  
• The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment);
  
• The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada;
  
• The Royal Montreal Regiment;
  
• The Royal New Brunswick Regiment;
  
• The Royal Newfoundland Regiment;
  
• The Royal Regiment of Canada;
  
• The Royal Regina Rifles;
  
• The Royal Westminster Regiment;
  
• The Royal Winnipeg Rifles;
  
• Royal Military College of Canada; and
  
• Royal Military College St-Jean.

The Royal designation is also used by other national institutions of Canada that include the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Mint and the Royal Canadian Legion.

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National Defence Act (NDA): http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-5/

Flags flown by the Canadian Army

August 16, 2011
Throughout the First World War, the Union Jack was flown by the Canadian Army. During the Second World War, the Canadian Active Service Force flag, commonly referred to as the “battle flag,” was authorized to indicate the Headquarters of the senior Canadian combatant formation overseas. However, by the summer of 1943, Army Council recommended the Red Ensign with the Canadian coat of arms in the fly become the official flag of the Canadian Army. Following the Second World War there was no distinctive flag for the Army, but the Red Ensign was to be the main flag for all components of the Canadian Army. As a whole, the Canadian Army did not have its own flag or Ensign; it simply used the Canadian National Flag when required.

Canadian Active Service Force (1939 – 1943)

Red Ensign (1944 – 1965)

In 1989, Mobile Command requested and received a command flag. It was granted a standard command flag pattern flag with the Canadian Flag in upper canton and the badge of Mobile Command in the fly. When Mobile Command was re-designated Land Force Command (LFC) in 1992, it continued to use the device of Mobile Command for some time. In 1998, the LFC badge was issued. This badge was based on the previous Canadian Army badge of the post war era. The current command flag uses the standard command flag design with a white field and the LFC badge in the fly.

Land Force Command Flag (1998 – Present)

Flags flown by the Royal Canadian Navy

August 16, 2011
There are three main positions for flags on a ship; the stern, masthead (top center of ship) and jack staff (bow), with the most senior position being the stern. In 1911, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was granted permission to fly the White Ensign at the stern of the ship as its principal identifying flag.  By the same order, the Blue Ensign was permitted to be flown at the jack staff as the distinctive flag of the Dominion of Canada.  During the First and Second World Wars, both of these flags would have been flown by His Majesty’s Canadian Ships.  The White Ensign and the Blue Ensign were retired from use after the adoption of the Canadian National Flag.  Since then, the Canadian Flag has been the Ensign on all Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships.

White Ensign (1910 – 1965)

Canadian Blue Ensign (1910 – 1965)

The Maritime Command flag was authorized as the Canadian Armed Forces Naval Jack in 1968.  It is a white flag in the Ensign style with Canadian Flag in the upper Canton and centered on the fly was a “fouled anchor, surmounted by an eagle volant affrontee with head lowered to the sinister; all ensigned with a naval crown.”

Canadian Naval Jack and Maritime Command Flag
 (1968 – Present)

Flags flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force

August 16, 2011
In 1921, the Canadian Air Force was authorized to fly the Ensign adopted by the Royal Air Force. It was not until July 1940 that a Canadian version was authorized by altering the original red centre of the roundel with a maple leaf. This continued to be the Ensign of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until the adoption of the Canadian National Flag in 1965.

RCAF Ensign (1940 – 1965)

At the introduction of the Canadian National Flag, the Ensign was retired from use but its design was used for the command flag of Air Command, approved in 1982. The only change was the use of the Canadian Flag in the upper Canton and the use of a different style of maple leaf.

Air Command Flag (1982 – Present)