Armorial Bearings...

[48th Highlander]

Here are my Armorial Bearings granted by the GG of Canada. I am an American now, but for those Canadian's or Americans who were born in Canada, it is an option.

[Mickey]

Very cool! The more I look into it, the more I find that I will never have anything like this, so I'm rather envious.

[48th Highlander]

Armorial bearings
Darren Thomas XXXXXX

Technical Description (in blazon, the language of heraldry)

Arms (shield): Sable a fess nowy between three yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) volant Or;

Crest (above the shield): (Upon a helmet mantled Sable doubled Or within a wreath of these colours) A falcon close Sable collared and chained to a heart and standing on a mount Or;

Motto: “With bravery and faith, nothing is impossible” becomes “Le curantachd is creideamh, cha bhi neoni neo-chomhasach” in Gaelic.

Flag: A banner of the Arms;

Cadet shields: For Erin XXXXX: The Arms debruised of a three-point label Argent during her father’s lifetime.

For Lauren XXXX: The Arms within a bordure Argent.


Description and Symbolism

Arms: A black shield divided by a gold horizontal stripe (with a round bump on its top and bottom edges) between three flying yellowhammers in gold.

Black and gold are colours associated with the State of Maryland where Mr. XXXXX currently resides. The division of the shield represents the jaws of an action wrench, a tool used by gunsmiths, and thus represents Mr. XXXXXX leadership in the small-arms industry in the United States. Three blackbirds are a charge frequently encountered in XXXXXXX arms in England; here they are replaced with yellowhammers, the maiden name of Mr. XXXXXXX mother being Trznadel, the Polish common name for the yellowhammer. They are depicted in flight to represent migration – both Mr. XXXXXX own migration from Canada to the United States and his ancestors’ migration from Great Britain and Poland to Canada.

Crest: A black falcon attached by a gold collar and chain to a gold heart. This is set on a steel helmet draped with cloth mantling in black and gold, set in place by a wreath of twisted cloth in these colours.

The crest refer to the badges of the 48th Highlanders of Canada (a falcon’s head), in which Mr. XXXXXX served as a young adult, and the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (a horse collared and chained to a globe), where he trained as a weapons technician. The crest represents strength restrained by humanity, a balance exemplified in Mr. XXXXX career and community involvement; a heart is also used as a symbol of the nursing profession, and thus it honours Mr. XXXXX education in nursing and service as an emergency room nurse. The mount is a pun on Mr. XXXXXX surname, which means “bare hill”, and a reference to the bluffs on the arms and flag of the former municipality of Scarborough, Ontario, where Mr. XXXXX was born.

Motto: “With bravery and faith, nothing is impossible” becomes “Le curantachd is creideamh, cha bhi neoni neo-chomhasach”.

Flag: The arms represented in rectangular form.

Cadet shields: For Erin XXXXX: The arms with a white stripe with three hanging tabs.

For Lauren XXXXXX: The arms within a white border.

[Piipriker]

wonderful, a very clean design.

[48th Highlander]

I did not interfere with the Herald in the design of these Arms. I had all kinds of wonderful ideas which I proposed. They take a lifetime bio and develop the Arms. You really are in control of the process, however, I believe you must listen to the Herald. They are experts.

I had my ideas about nationalistic symbols, colors, etc. When I asked about them, he said they are somewhat overdone, and the Chief Herald is responsible to keep the standards high.

Everybody wants a rampant lion, a fire breathing dragon, an arm with a mace for the crest, but if it looks tough, and cool but doesn't mean anything about you as a person, then what is the point of doing it at all.

BTW, this process is in its 2nd year for me. So you need to be patient.

I did this to leave a way point in history for my children and their heirs. It is a way to make a mark in history that you actually existed. It is recorded forever, and as you know can be passed through the generations.

I found this to be a valuable thing to do, however, it is expensive by the time you are done, and likely wont be appreciated by your spouse. The Arms do not represent your spouse at all, and at least my wife wonders what the hell I was thinking spending coin on something like this. I did it for my kids. How many American kids will have been granted a cadet shield by a government? The eldest daughter will inherit the arms as long as she petitions, which I plan to ask her to do in my will.

[48th Highlander]

If you are interested in reading about the process, or just interested in Heraldry in the first place, take a look at the Governor General site. Great explanations, straight forward, unlike the UK and Scottish sites.

They take this very seriously. The back checked my bio. I had to provide documents. The called each of my references and interviewed them.

http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=81

If you want to look at the registry of Arms in Canada, it is also fascinating.
Mine is not there yet but will be in short order.

http://archive.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/main.asp?lang=e

[Detroitpete]

Armorial bearings
Darren Thomas XXXXXX

Description and Symbolism

Arms: A black shield divided by a gold horizontal stripe (with a round bump on its top and bottom edges) between three flying yellowhammers in gold.

Black and gold are colours associated with the State of Maryland where Mr. XXXXX currently resides. The division of the shield represents the jaws of an action wrench, a tool used by gunsmiths, and thus represents Mr. XXXXXX leadership in the small-arms industry in the United States. Three blackbirds are a charge frequently encountered in XXXXXXX arms in England; here they are replaced with yellowhammers, the maiden name of Mr. XXXXXXX mother being Trznadel, the Polish common name for the yellowhammer. They are depicted in flight to represent migration – both Mr. XXXXXX own migration from Canada to the United States and his ancestors’ migration from Great Britain and Poland to Canada.

Crest: A black falcon attached by a gold collar and chain to a gold heart. This is set on a steel helmet draped with cloth mantling in black and gold, set in place by a wreath of twisted cloth in these colours.

The crest refer to the badges of the 48th Highlanders of Canada (a falcon’s head), in which Mr. XXXXXX served as a young adult, and the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (a horse collared and chained to a globe), where he trained as a weapons technician. The crest represents strength restrained by humanity, a balance exemplified in Mr. XXXXX career and community involvement; a heart is also used as a symbol of the nursing profession, and thus it honours Mr. XXXXX education in nursing and service as an emergency room nurse. The mount is a pun on Mr. XXXXXX surname, which means “bare hill”, and a reference to the bluffs on the arms and flag of the former municipality of Scarborough, Ontario, where Mr. XXXXX was born.

THIS, to me, is what I find fascinating about heraldry. The opportunity it provides for such personalized symbolism.

[Cygnus]

Congratulations on the lovely arms, 48th Highlander! I, too, am envious, though it is something on my list of goals to accomplish in the (somewhat) near future!

I find it particularly interesting that Lauren's arms are differenced with a bordure Argent rather than Or - is there a particular reason for this?

Congratulations, once again, that is quite the achievement!

[WVHighlander]

Really fantastic. I too and one of the envious ones on here. It is a gorgeous COA and I hope to do the same for the same reasons.

[creagdhubh]

Well done!