Mottos hold a special place within military tradition. They serve not just as slogans, but as compact expressions of a unit’s purpose, identity, and ethos: linking generations of soldiers across time. As General Sir John Hackett aptly stated, “the badge, the motto, and the colours are more than emblems. They are the soul of the regiment.”
Among the proud traditions inherited by the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) was its regimental motto: “Sua Tela Tonanti.”

Origins: From the Board of Ordnance to the Ordnance Corps

The story of “Sua Tela Tonanti” stretches back to the historic Board of Ordnance, a British institution responsible for supplying arms, ammunition, fortifications, and military stores from the early 16th century. Although the Board’s exact adoption date of its coat of arms is unknown, evidence suggests it was used well before it was formally ratified by Royal Warrant in 1806 and later registered with the College of Arms in 1823.

The Board’s heraldic achievement featured:

• A shield (“coat of arms”) with three cannons and three cannonballs.
• A crest above the shield showing a mural crown (symbolising defence), from which a right arm (strength) grasps a thunderbolt enflamed and winged, representing the weapons of Jove (Jupiter).
• Two Cyclopes supporting the shield, mythological one-eyed giants skilled in metalwork, symbolising the artisan support behind the provision of arms.
• Suspended below the shield was the motto: “Sua Tela Tonanti.”

When the British Army established the Army Ordnance Department and the Army Ordnance Corps in 1896, unifying various technical services into a single body responsible for the Army’s supply and maintenance of materials, it naturally looked to the traditions of the Board of Ordnance for its identity. The Corps adopted the Board’s shield and motto. However, it was not until 1918, upon receiving the title “Royal” and amalgamating the Department and Corps, that Royal Approval was granted for the official adoption of “Sua Tela Tonanti.”

In New Zealand, a new badge design featuring a riband with the inscription “Sua Tela Tonanti” was officially approved on 31 May 1937, introducing the motto into New Zealand use.

Meaning and Interpretation

Unlike many mottos, Sua Tela Tonanti poses a challenge in direct translation. Taken literally, it reads:

• “Sua Tela” – His Weapons
• “Tonanti” – To the Thunderer (an epithet for Jove/Jupiter, the Roman god of thunder).

Thus, an approximate translation would be:”To the Thunderer His Weapons.”

However, the motto contains no verb, leaving room for interpretation. Over time, this has led to several modern versions, including

• “To the Warrior His Arms” is the version most commonly accepted by the RAOC and subsequently by the RNZAOC.
• “To the Army Its Needs” is a suggested free translation reflecting the Corps’ practical function.
• “Science has wrested from thundering Jove his weapons” – an academic interpretation connecting the motto to classical Latin poetry.

Investigations by Major Asser of the RAOC and noted Latin scholar A.E. Housman suggest that the motto may derive from a line in the works of the Roman poet Manilius:
“Eripuitque Jovi Fulmen Viresque Tonanti” — meaning, “Reason or science has wrested from thundering Jupiter his lightning and strength.”

Thus, Sua Tela Tonanti may symbolically represent the Corps’ role in taking the tools of war—the “weapons of the Thunderer”—and mastering them for the defence and needs of the Army.

Heraldic Context

Understanding the heraldic elements alongside the motto helps deepen the appreciation of the tradition:

• The three cannons and cannonballs represent the supply of arms and ammunition, a fundamental function of Ordnance.
• The Cyclopes, mythological forgers of Zeus’s thunderbolts, embody the technical craftsmanship behind military stores and armaments.
• The thunderbolt grasped by a strong right hand rising from a mural crown links the themes of strength, technology, and defence.

The entire achievement reflects the practical role of the Ordnance Corps: providing strength to the Army through the careful provision and maintenance of weapons and munitions.

Modern Inclusive Usage

As modern sensibilities and values have evolved, particularly around the use of gendered language, the traditional English expression “To the Warrior His Arms” is increasingly being updated in official and informal contexts to “To the Warrior Their Arms.”
This small but meaningful change ensures that the motto honours all who serve, regardless of gender, while preserving the timeless spirit of equipping warriors with the means to fight and survive.

In this way, Sua Tela Tonanti continues to serve as a living motto, respecting tradition, while adapting to the inclusive values of today’s New Zealand Army and wider Commonwealth military communities.

Commonwealth Interpretations of “Sua Tela Tonanti”

Numerous Commonwealth Ordnance Corps have adopted the Latin motto Sua Tela Tonanti, each interpreting its meaning to align with its unique cultural and operational contexts. Although the core spirit remained the same, subtle differences in translation reflected national identities and military traditions.

• United Kingdom – Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC): The RAOC translated “Sua Tela Tonanti” both as “To the Warrior His Arms” and occasionally as “To the Thunderer His Arms,” linking back to classical roots while emphasising the Corps’ role in equipping the Army.
• New Zealand – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC): The RNZAOC consistently used ‘To the Warrior His Arms’, reflecting the Corps’ mission to ensure that New Zealand’s soldiers were armed correctly and supplied.
• Australia – Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC): The RAAOC adopted the motto “To the Warrior His Arms,” emphasising direct combat support and aligning with the Australian Army’s operational culture.
• Canada – Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC): Similarly, the RCOC employed the translation “To the Warrior His Arms,” highlighting the provision of arms and materiel to Canadian forces at home and abroad.
• India – Indian Army Ordnance Corps (AOC): Before adopting the Hindi motto “Shastra Se Shakti” (“Strength through Arms”) in 1978, the Indian AOC interpreted Sua Tela Tonanti more literally as “To the Thunderer His Arms,” retaining the mythological reference to Jove.
• Pakistan – Pakistan Army Ordnance Corps: The Pakistan Army Ordnance Corps retained the Latin motto Sua Tela Tonanti, most often translated as “To the Thunder His Weapons,” preserving a direct linguistic link to its classical and British heritage.

These varied interpretations across Commonwealth nations illustrate the adaptability of Sua Tela Tonanti, allowing each corps to align the motto with its distinct cultural and operational narratives while preserving a shared historical lineage.

Potential Te Reo Māori Translation

Had the RNZAOC remained a distinct Corps beyond 1996, it is possible that, in line with New Zealand’s growing embrace of multiculturalism, a Te Reo Māori version of Sua Tela Tonanti might have been officially adopted.

Faithful to the spirit of the Latin original, possible translations could have included:

• “Ōna Rākau mō te Toa” — “His weapons for the warrior.”
• “Ōna Patū ki te Toa” — “His arms to the warrior.”

For a more poetic rendering that echoed the imagery of “the Thunderer,” a version such as:

• “Ōna Rākau ki te Toa Kapohau” — “His weapons to the Warrior of the Storm”

might have been considered.

Each version retains the dual focus on providing the tools of battle (rākau, patū) to those tasked with facing danger (toa – warrior), preserving both the operational meaning and the rich symbolism of the original Latin phrase.

Legacy within the RNZAOC

As the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps expanded its role during the 1930s, it adopted the traditions of its British and Commonwealth counterparts, including the motto “Sua Tela Tonanti.” This motto carried forward into the RNZAOC, symbolising its crucial duty beyond mere clerical or mechanical tasks, to ensure that warriors were armed, sustained, and ready for duty.

Today, although the RNZAOC was subsumed into the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR) in 1996, Sua Tela Tonanti remains a part of the Corps’ proud history. It reminds all who served—and those who study their legacy—of the essential, often unsung role of Ordnance soldiers:

“To the Warrior Their Arms.”