In September every year, first year cadets at Royal Military College march through the arch as a group to mark their official arrival at RMC. The Cadets will only march through as a group twice. Once on their arrival for their first year and once at graduation. This year, the march through the Arch of the Graduating Class of 2008 will be on Thursday May 15th at approximately 1130 hrs. Thanks to the Government of Canada's official web site for RMC the following historical information is provided to tell you about her history. RMC is now over one hundred years old. It was established by an act of the Canadian Parliament in 1874 "for the purpose of providing a complete education in all branches of military tactics, fortification, engineering, and general scientific knowledge in subjects connected with and necessary to thorough knowledge of the military profession." On June 1, 1876, the Military College of Canada opened its doors to the first class of eighteen gentlemen cadets. These are the "Old Eighteen," known by name to all cadets today. Two years later, in 1878, Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, granted the College the right to use the prefix "Royal." "The Royal Military College of Canada Degrees Act, 1959," passed by the 25th Ontario Legislature and given Royal Assent on March 26, 1959, empowers the College to confer degrees in Arts, Science, and Engineering. RMC now offers a wide variety of programmes in these three areas, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels offered both on site through traditional studies and by distance learning through the Division of Continuing Studies. The graduates of RMC have established a reputation of service and achievement throughout the world out of all proportion to their numbers. From the North West Rebellion of 1885, through the South African War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, the Persian Gulf, to the latest peace keeping operations the graduates of RMC have distinguished themselves in all aspects of Canadian military service. Ex-cadets have been similarly prominent in a wide variety of civilian professions. On the face of the Arch it reads "To the glorious memory of the ex-cadets of the Royal Military College of Canada who gave their lives for the Empire. Erected Anno Domini mcmxxiii". © All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without My Written Consent

Photo taken in 1993. College is located in Kingston, Ontario. RMC is now over one hundred years old. It was established by an act of the Canadian Parliament in 1874 "for the purpose of providing a complete education in all branches of military tactics, fortification, engineering, and general scientific knowledge in subjects connected with and necessary to thorough knowledge of the military profession." On June 1, 1876, the Military College of Canada opened its doors to the first class of eighteen gentlemen cadets. These are the "Old Eighteen," known by name to all cadets today. Two years later, in 1878, Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, granted the College the right to use the prefix "Royal." "The Royal Military College of Canada Degrees Act, 1959," passed by the 25th Ontario Legislature and given Royal Assent on March 26, 1959, empowers the College to confer degrees in Arts, Science, and Engineering. RMC now offers a wide variety of programmes in these three areas, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels offered both on site through traditional studies and by distance learning through the Division of Continuing Studies. The graduates of RMC have established a reputation of service and achievement throughout the world out of all proportion to their numbers. From the North West Rebellion of 1885, through the South African War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, the Persian Gulf, to the latest peace keeping operations the graduates of RMC have distinguished themselves in all aspects of Canadian military service. Ex-cadets have been similarly prominent in a wide variety of civilian professions.