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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

12th December 2015 23:12:51 Hours

Fallen SLSR Lions Recalled to Memory in Colourful Annual Event

Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR), one of the most battle-hardened and experienced regiments in the Army paid its tribute to the memory of their fallen War Heroes at its Ambepussa Headquarters on Saturday (12), awarding the  pride of place to next of kin and children of SLSR War Heroes, either killed in action or have gone missing while fighting.

With Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka gracing the annual commemorative ceremony as the Chief Guest at the SLSR Regimental Headquarters, the day’s ceremony was largely of emotional nature with thousands lining up together in tears to recall cherished memories of fallen beloved ones as arrangements got underway. 

The event, organized for the 27th consecutive year, paid symbolic floral tributes to the SLSR memorial in the headquarters premises and transferred merits to 143 officers and 3719 other rankers who had made the supreme sacrifice while defending the country’s territorial integrity.

Major General Boniface Perera, Colonel of the Regiment, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) welcomed the Chief Guest with formal greetings before the programme got to a start after their arrival at the SLSR Headquarters. 

At the outset, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, and several senior officers, placed floral wreaths at the monument and paid their tribute to those fallen martyrs as next of kin and children of the departed afterwards followed suit and lit lamps in memory of their beloved ones with tears rolling down. Other SLSR Senior Officers, officers and others followed the respect in succession as the ceremony got underway. 

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka in his brief address to the occasion recalled the nobility of the supreme sacrifices, made by SLSR War Heroes, like Captain Aladeniya and Hasalaka Gamini and reminded that those sacrifices have now borne fruits since the country now in peacetime, is heading for a speedy development.

Later on, the Chief Guest distributed gift parcels among disable War Heroes.

Retired senior SLSR Officers, senior serving officers and a large gathering of officers and other ranks were also present at the occasion.

The religious programmes were to commence in the evening, with an all-nigh Pirith chanting, followed by an alms-giving, the following day (13). 

SLSR Centre Commandant, Brigadier B.A.L Ratnayake, together with all ranks contributed to the success of the days programme.
 
Major General (Retd) D.W Hapuarachchi and a host of senior officers were present at the occasion.