Canada Command

[edstorey]

I just noticed today that there were two sizes of Canada Command badge manufactured in 2008. I think the larger version eventually turned out to be an error. Both have the same NSN.

[Mike Jackson]

What is the significance of the design? These beasts don't look native to Canada (if you had told me the badge was Polish Special Forces I would have believed you!) Mike

[David Tremain]

The red and white are obviously the Canadian colours, but sea horses? What happened to the beaver?

David

[Bill A]

Sea horses. Nice David. (You must be a closet navy collector! ) They are stylized dragons. (Unless sea horses breath fire or... have bad breath!)

[Bill A]

Mike, (and David), A link to the page that explains the symbolism of the badge. http://reg.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/pr...1124&ShowAll=1

[JamesAA]

Originally Posted by edstorey

I just noticed today that there were two sizes of Canada Command badge manufactured in 2008. I think the larger version eventually turned out to be an error. Both have the same NSN.

Ed,

Are both badges made by the same maker? What are their dimensions?

My badge is maker marked 2009 Wm Scully and is 50mm high.

Interesting that there are two sizes, even if one is an error, when the badge was in use for only 4 or 5 years.

Jim

[David Tremain]

Thanks Bill. They looked like sea horses at first glance, but yes, I guess sea horses don't have forked/pointy tails, or wings.

David

[shootemup]

I happened to end up with one from somewhere, some time ago and later sold it and the purchaser remarked that it seemed smaller than he remembered...I guess he was right!

[edstorey]

Jim:

Both of the badges illustrated were manufactured by Caret Med in 2008, your 2009 Scully is the same size as the small example.

[edstorey]

The large one is 60mm high.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

The red and white are obviously the Canadian colours, but sea horses? What happened to the beaver?

David

I am also at a loss to understand the symbology. The colours red and white make sense as Canada's national colours but a dragon/griffith/sea horse or whatever those little fellers are don't make an immediate impression. Can someone offer a little illumination?

The border down the middle appears to be maple leaves, another easy one to figure out.

[Bill A]

Michael, As in why those symbols were chosen?

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Michael, As in why those symbols were chosen?

Force Mobile Command had a red maple leaf (Canada) with four arrows because (don't quote me) they represented being capable of dynamic action in any direction, also I think represented multiple capabilities (air-mobile, amphibious, mechanized??)

I'm not seeing the connection between "dragon" and "Canada" but am guessing it is something heraldic. But from where? The Canadian coat of arms has a lion and a unicorn:

http://www.heraldry.ca/misc/coatArmsCanada.htm

Interesting, but a puzzle to me who doesn't have a deep grounding in these things.

[Bill A]

Agreed, there was no rationale provided for the selection of the symbols for Command badge. It is creeping into European style insignia.