56 Engineer Squadron

 

56 Engineer Squadron
Building 310 Pleasantville
St. John's, NL
A1C 6B5

Who Are We

 

56 Field Engineer Squadron has a Sqn Hq, a sqn of 2 Field Troops and an Administrative Troop all located in St. John's, NL. Major Rick Nolan currently commands the unit.

 

What We Do

56 Engineer Squadron is comprised of Combat Engineers, focused on the use of demolitions and land mines, the design, construction and maintenance of defensive works and fortifications, lines of communications, and bridges. They can also provide water, power and other utilities, provide fire, aircraft crash and rescue services, hazardous material operations, and develop other engineering intelligence. In addition, military engineers are experts in deception and concealment, as well as the design and development of equipment necessary to carry out these operations. In essence, the job of the Combat Engineer is to help the army live, move and fight while denying the same to the enemy.

When We Train

Thursday evenings (7-10 pm), and selected weekends.

Recruiting Contact

1-877-5-GO ARMY Ext 6

Orderly Room Contact

709-570-4949

History

56 Field Engineer Squadron was formed on October 24, 1949 and was established at Buckmaster's field in St. John's. The strength of the unit after the first year was three officers and forty-seven non-commissioned members. It was, with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, one of the first militia units formed in Newfoundland after Confederation.

The Squadron's role is to assist their own troops to live, move and fight on the battlefield, and to deny enemy troops the same. As Sappers, they are an important member of the Infantry/Armoured/Artillery/Engineer, Combat Arms Team. Training consists of Military Engineering techniques such as bridge building, demolitions, and minefield laying and clearance. Members of the Squadron practice these techniques during exercises and military concentrations in all seasons throughout the Atlantic Provinces.

The Squadron has carried out numerous bridge construction projects within Newfoundland and Labrador such as, the Fox Island River, Port Blandford, Dyke's River, Gros Morne National Park, Quidi Vidi Lake and Manuals River bridges. Other notable unit constructions have been rappel towers located in Stephenville, Grand Falls/Windsor, the Cambrai Range in Bay Robert, and a rifle range situated at Upper Indian Pond on the west coast for 2 Royal Newfoundland Regiment. The jewel achievement more recently was the reconstruction of Quidi Vidi Battery.

The Squadron is a proud and highly motivated unit, having won many prestigious awards for excellence, including the Gzowski Cup for the most outstanding Engineer Unit in Canada (7 times) and the Hertzberg Trophy, for the best Engineer project (7times).

The caliber of the Squadron is improving each day. Members are gaining greater experience across the world. In the past couple of years the Squadron has sent members to Bosnia, the Golan Heights, and East Africa