Military Honours Salute Late Major General Dammika Kariyawasam (Retd) during Final Journey

The military funeral of Major General Dammika Kariyawasam (Retd) of the Sri Lanka Army Service Corps (SLASC) who had served the country for more than 33 years took place on Monday (16) at Kurunegala Doratiyawa cemetery amid a gathering of his military comrades and other mourners.

Representing the Commander of the Army, Major General Hirosha Wanigasekera, Master General Ordnance (MGO) and Colonel Commandant of the SLASC attended the funeral and paid his last respect to the remains.

Troops in accordance with military traditions received the corpse, presenting arms near the entrance to the cemetery before being placed in the gun carriage and draped it in the national flag. As the funeral procession reached the main entrance to the cemetery, a representative gathering of Senior Officers formally, received the coffin and began to inch their way towards the crematorium after all of them together with family members lined up behind the coffin.

The formal Special Part I Order, issued by the Commander of the Army was then read out to the mourners as the occasion turned solemn. Troops in conformity with military traditions, then saluted the deceased, presenting a symbolic gun salute, the highest tribute a military officer could get in the event of his demise.

Minutes after the Last Post, the bugle call that sounded, indicating that the great soldier had now gone to his final rest, the remains were taken to the crematorium.

Seconds after, Major General Hirosha Wanigasekera presented the bereaved family with decorations and medals that had been earned by Major General Dammika Kariyawasam (Retd) during his illustrious career, a general tradition in the armed forces. The military funeral of late Major General Dammika Kariyawasam (Retd) was organized under the direct supervision of the office of the Army Adjutant General's Branch.

Retired Senior Officers, Senior Officers, Directors and other mourners were also there to salute late officer as the dusk fell.

Here follows the Part 1 Order read out at the funeral;