The 56th Field Artillery Regiment

The 56th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, traces its beginnings to 1866, when the 37th “Haldimand” Battalion of Rifles was raised in response to local defence needs in Ontario. Over time, this battalion grew and underwent several transformations, eventually merging in 1936 with the Dufferin Rifles and a machine-gun company to form the Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles.

Following the Second World War, the unit shifted from its infantry role to artillery, becoming the 56th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles), RCA, in 1946. That transition marked the start of its modern artillery identity. A further amalgamation in 1954 with the 25th Medium Regiment, RCA, expanded its capabilities and regional footprint. By 1960, the regiment was redesignated as the 56th Field Artillery Regiment (Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles), before adopting its current title in 1975.

Today, the regiment is part of 32 Canadian Brigade Group, with batteries based in Brantford, St. Catharines, and Simcoe. Its members train in gunnery, fire support coordination, and field operations, supporting both domestic missions and international deployments. The regiment carries forward the artillery traditions embodied in its mottos, “Ubique” (“Everywhere”) and “Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt” (“Whither Right and Glory Lead”), reflecting a proud lineage that spans more than a century of service.