1RCHA forms up Thursday for freedom of city parade

Advertisement

Advertise with us

Soldiers of 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery will take to the streets for a Freedom of the City of Brandon parade and ceremony on Thursday.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!

As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.

Subscribe Now

or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.

Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
  • Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
Start now

*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Soldiers of 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery will take to the streets for a Freedom of the City of Brandon parade and ceremony on Thursday.

The parade represents the highest civic honour a city can bestow upon a military unit.

Tomorrow’s event acknowledges the local unit during “significant investment and discussion around the military in our country,” Mayor Jeff Fawcett told the Sun Tuesday.

Members of the C Battery from the First Regiment Horse Artillery (1RCHA) stand at attention during a ceremony at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School. (The Brandon Sun files)
Members of the C Battery from the First Regiment Horse Artillery (1RCHA) stand at attention during a ceremony at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School. (The Brandon Sun files)

“This is one of the biggest times in the history of our military that’s going on right now — we’ve never had investment like this going into our military,” Fawcett said.

“Brandon is a military city, with our connections to CFB Shilo, and 1RCHA is one of the oldest regular forces in all of Canada. So, we think it’s quite significant that we do recognize them, particularly in this current time.”

The march will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot by the Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University and end at city hall after following a route along 18th Street and Victoria Avenue.

About 100 soldiers will participate in the march, CFB Shilo public affairs officer Lori Truscott said Tuesday.

Armoured vehicles and M777 howitzers will be showcased during the parade.

Truscott said the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery was given the freedom of the city in 1967.

“That, technically, means all artillery units in Canada have a Freedom of the City of Brandon,” she said.

Both the first and third regiments of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, she added, have exercised their “freedoms” in the past.

While Thursday’s parade is not the first time the unit has exercised its Freedom of the City in Brandon, Thursday’s march is uncommon in that it reflects “geopolitical reasons and sovereignty,” said Fawcett.

Fawcett also referenced significant growth at CFB Shilo.

“We want to make sure that the residents of Brandon understand that we are a military city, and we appreciate our military being right beside us. We’re wanting to recognize that, as Canada goes forward with military responses, we also want Canada to know that Brandon is one of those cities that is at the table with them in recognizing our military,” he said.

» jmurray@brandonsun.com

History

Updated on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 7:21 AM CDT: The start time of the parade was missing from the original version of this story. It has been updated.

Report Error Submit a Tip

Local

LOAD LOCAL ARTICLES