Retiring Three Senior GR Officers Honoured at ‘Home of Keterians’

The Gajaba Regiment (GR) Regimental HQ in Saliyapura bade farewell to three of its senior and dedicated Officers Major General C.D Ranasinghe RWP RSP, Brigadier L.A.J.L.B Udowita RWP RSP and Brigadier J.P Withanachchi RSP USP upon their retirement from the Army during special ceremonies on Friday (3 November).

Major General C.D Ranasinghe RWP RSP, was serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army at the time of his retirement. Brigadier L.A.J.L.B Udowita RWP RSP was the Commander of the 121 Infantry Brigade and Brigadier J.P Withanachchi RSP USP held the office of the Director, Directorate of Management and Maintenance at the Colombo Army Hospital at the time of his retirement.

The separate ceremonies, held in keeping with military traditions at the Gajaba Regimental Headquarters premises in Saliyapura, inclusive of military honours, were attended by Major General W.H.K.S Peiris RWP RSP USP ndu, Commander, Security Forces – West, Major General K.P.S.A Fernando RWP RSP ndu, Director General Infantry, Major General U.K.D.D.P Udugama RWP RSP USP ndc psc, Commandant of Army War College and a large group of Senior Officers and Other Ranks.

The sequence of events commenced with the ceremonial Guard Turnout, followed by an offering of floral tributes to the statue of late Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne, Founding Father of the Gajaba Regiment.

Colonel K.R Kalupahana RSP USP, Deputy Centre Commandant of GR, with several other Senior Officers separately welcomed the Senior Officers on arrival and Brigadier H.T.W Vidyananda RWP RSP USP, Centre Commandant of GR invited them to review the parade with Regimental colours. Afterwards, all three of them received the salute separately from the special dais before three of them addressed the troops at the parade ground.

Adding memories to the day, outgoing Senior Officers posed for group photographs with the Regimental staff. The event also included an All-Rank tea at the Other Ranks’ Mess at the Regimental Headquarters as part of the formalities.

The day’s proceedings culminated with a formal military Dinner Night held on Friday evening at the Regimental Officers’ Mess.