Let’s salute Intake 13 of the Sri Lanka Army
(Courtesy of The Island)
By Bandula Jayasekara
It was July 1981. I still remember when our family came to Diyatalawa to see my fourth brother Rohana passing out as a 2nd Lieutenant from Sri Lanka Army’s Intake 13. It was a long journey by train from Polgahawela, for our family. We were received by his batch mate , Chandana Rajaguru (later Major General. He wasn’t bald then) at the Diyatalawa railway station. We were taken to a nice place to stay over. I cannot remember the name of that comfortable place we stayed but, still have a few photos of my late parents as memories. We met my brother Rohana very briefly on that day since members of Intake 13 had lots to do apart from receiving their parents and family. On the following day when 18th of July was going to be the big day officer cadets would become 2nd Lieutenants
I still remember how we all gathered at the Parade grounds at Diyatalawa to see my brother and his batch mates passing out as 2nd Lieutenants of the Sri Lanka Army. It was a very colourful ceremony, an emotional day for many of us who had come to Diyatalawa from all over the country. Commandant of the Diyatalawa Army Training Centre then was Colonel SMA (Asoka) Jayawardane (later Major General and Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army) A wonderful and a kind human being. He later became a relative of ours. I remember Asoka, who lives in the USA now, with much fondness. Army Commander at the time was General Dennis Perera. It was a very proud day for our family to see my brother , Rohana receiving two prizes , current affairs and tactics prizes from the Army Commander. I don’t know where he has put those pictures now. There was also a picture of late Brigadier Miyanadeniya , hailing from Kurunegala, who was known to our father, wishing my brother after the passing out parade. I can picture my mother kissing and hugging my brother whilst my father stood by. I remember how emotions ran high and when he joined us wearing his new uniform, after they took the salute and marched towards the hills of Diyatalawa when the Army band played ‘Auld Lang Syne’. To me it was the most moving scene of the passing out parade. It still lingers in memory.
I hear the sound of a bugle as I sit and type this inside the Army Training Centre in Diyatalawa . I hear the marching/running cadets singing and loud commands given by Sergeants. Yes. I am going down memory lane here, as the Sri Lanka Army celebrates its 68th anniversary . Diyatalawa is still cold and full of pine trees. Lt Colonel Kelum Wickremasinghe who is taking me around says “There is no more Diya. Only Thalawa”. Should we call this place Thalawa then, I wonder. My brother Rohana always wanted to join the Army and fight for his motherland . As a prefect at Trinity College in Kandy, his side of the room had pictures of army tanks, soldiers at a battle field and everything relating to the army, whilst his colleague had pictures of bikini clad women. That was his dream. Though he got the best results at the advanced level examination at Trinity that year, Rohana said a firm no to entering the university and decided to enlist in the Army. We as a family were proud of him. There were nine from Kurunegala in Intake 13 including Thilak Chandrabala, Daya Ratnayaka, late Lalith Buddhadasa, Evan Chandrasekara, Janaka Ratnayaka, Thilak Seneviratne, and Asoka Padeniya . There is also a story how (General) Daya Ratnayaka tried to ambush a UNP politician from Kurunegala since he tried desperately to block Daya from joining the Army as an officer cadet. Saner counsel had prevailed and that politician finally was forced to back off. That was Daya’s commitment to serve Sri Lanka as a soldier. My brother always says ” If that politician had succeeded in blocking Daya, Sri Lanka would have lost a fine officer and a Gentleman” Intake 13 went on to produce not one Army Commander but, two Army commanders in Generals Daya Ratnayaka and Chrishantha de Silva. I am told the only other intake which produced two Army Commanders is the intake of Generals Shantha Kottegoda and General Sarath Fonseka (Now Field Marshall). Rhan subsequently became a lawyer.
I walk to the Army Museum in Diyatalawa with Lt Colonel Wickremasinghe and go through the photographs on the wall. I stop where the photo of the Intake 13 is placed. I see familiar faces, heroes who sacrificed their lives for Sri Lanka and served this country well. Among the staff then, there is Lieutenant Colonel DL Kobbekaduwa, the deputy commandant of the Academy at the time (One of the greatest, most admired and much loved Generals of Sri Lanka. Maybe the Generals General, Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa who sacrificed his life for his Motherland). I feel proud that my brother and his batch mates had the privilege at the time to be trained by him.
I am sure they all do. There is Captain LAR Wijeratne, another soldier of repute who won the hearts and minds of the civilians. Brigadier Larry Wijeratne sacrificed his life for his motherland in Point Pedro. He was later promoted to Major General. Another excellent and a fine officer, Gamini Hettiarachchi, then a Captain, retired as a Major General after serving Sri Lanka with honour. Then there is Captain Lucky Nadarasingham (Later Colonel Lucky Rajasinghe) I have heard my brother and his batch mates speaking of Lucky with great respect and admiration.
Lalith Buddhadasa and Angelo Peiris of Intake 13 sacrificed their lives fighting for the Motherland. In 1991, Major Lalith Buddhadasa of the Sinha Regiment bled to death at the Elephant Pass camp during the siege. He was second in command to General Sanath Karunaratne. Lalith was later promoted as a Lt Colonel. Major Angelo Peiris of Sri Lanka Light Infantry was killed few days after his colleague, at Vethaankani, during the advance to break the Elephant Pass siege. He was going to rescue his own batch mate at Elephant Pass. Angelo was the second in command of the 3rd battalion during the Balavegaya 1 Operation. Angelo was later promoted Lt Colonel. Lt Colonel Gamini Fernando of Intake 13 too was killed in action in Trincomalee. Gamini bled to death when he was shot during a jungle operation.
Apart from Lalith, Angelo and Gamini who were killed in action , Intake 13 still mourn the deaths of Colonel Sunil Senanayake, Officer cadet RGG Athapaththu who died as a cadet just after 25 mile speed walk in Badulla, Major General Susil Udumalalgala, Colonel Thilak Seneviratne and Lt Aruna Wijenayake. Major Nanda Mallawarachchi who was the Adjutant retired as a Major General and Chief of Staff. He was also the Acting Commander of the Army when General Sarath Fonseka got injured.
The remaining members of Intake 13 of the Sri Lanka Army continue to hold together, having done yeomen service to Sri Lanka. Some of them were wronged by the authorities. Some promotions were delayed. Some left early. Others meet at least once a year, but stay well connected, I am told. One such get together was held at our residence in Kurunegala last year, which made my brother very proud and happy. If my mother lived she would have been happy too, I know. My brother Rohana seem to be very happy among them because they all stand as one. I found the camaraderie of the Intake 13 very strong.
Old Soldiers Never Die. They don’t even just fade away. Lets Salute the Intake 13 of the Sri Lanka Army.
( More could have been written about the Intake 13 and their heroics if time and space let me. This is just a little bit to begin the series of articles from Diyatalawa as a Tribute to the Sri Lanka Military Academy. I thank Generals Daya Ratnayake , Chrishantha Silva and my brother Rohana for helping me fill in some blanks )
Next Week: Paying Tribute to fallen officers at the Monument of Peace
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