Colonel Benjamin T. Lee
The Arms of
Motto
fugit fora – The hour flies. The lower case motto reminds us that we live in the fast-moving CyberWorld, and it may be later than we think… Everything grows, everything has a season, till it is gathered to the Father’s fold.
Colonel Benjamin T. Lee, SBStJ, ED, PEng, AdeC, JP
Grants of armorial bearings are honours from the Crown. They provide recognition for the contributions that individuals and corporations are making to improve the quality of life we all enjoy. The arms of Colonel Lee was granted by the Governor General in 1997
Shield
The main charge on the gold shield is the qilin, taken from the mandarin square (rank insignia) for Col. Lee’s grandfather, who was one of the last Generals in the Qing Dynasty. The qilin, often equated to the Western unicorn, is revered as one of the four great mythical creatures of China, and auspiciously symbolizes longevity, grandeur, felicity, illustrious offspring, wise administration, and benevolence. The gold maple leaves in the chief are a reminder of his upbringing in and service to Canada. In between is the “Pearl of the Orient”, drawn from the arms of Colonial Hong Kong, in honour of his genealogical roots, and his public service. The badge of the Order of St John is suspended on its black ribbon below the shield indicative of his investiture in this order of chivalry.
Crest
The crest is fitted to the traditional steel helmet of heraldry*, bearing a breathing hole in the shape of a Maltese Cross, which recalls his appointment as a commissioner of the St John Ambulance. The red and royal blue colours of the cloth mantling draping the helmet are those of the Household Cavalry, with which Col. Lee’s regiment, the Governor General’s Horse Guards, is affiliated. The green oak leaves and gold acorns refer to the crest of the University of Toronto, which is an oak tree, and thus pay tribute to the ongoing service to his alma mater. The arm in steel armour, bent at the elbow, is symbolic of his military service in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and the Royal Armoured Corps (Royal Hong Kong Regiment). The silver lightning bolt clenched by the ungloved hand represents his calling in telecommunications as well as his service to the Toronto Signals Regiment.
* Heraldry is a celebration, based on ancient symbols, of the sense people have of themselves. The tradition of using distinguishing marks goes back more than eight centuries, when nobles decorated the shields they used in jousting matches.