WW1 Canadian CEF Ontario Agriculture College COTC Collars Insignia Pair

This pair of World War I era collar insignia represents the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) Ontario Agricultural College Canadian Officers’ Training Corps (COTC). Each insignia features the college’s distinctive heraldic design, typically cast in brass or a similar metal, which was a standard material for Canadian military badges of the period. The insignia would have been issued to cadets and junior officers attached to the Ontario Agricultural College as part of the COTC, a program designed to prepare university students for leadership roles in the military during the First World War. The COTC played a significant role in officer training across Canadian educational institutions, facilitating the transition of graduates into commissioned positions within the CEF. These collar badges were worn as part of the uniform to indicate the wearer’s collegiate affiliation and training status. Such insignia are representative of Canada’s broader efforts to mobilize and train military personnel during the conflict.