14th October 2022 15:31:03 Hours
The Gajaba Regiment (GR) Regimental Headquarters at Saliyapura, hours before its 39th Regimental Anniversary Day (14 October) fondly recalled and revered invaluable memories of valiant Gajaba Regiment (GR) War Heroes on Thursday (13) afternoon during a solemn commemorative ceremony, graced by Colonel of the Regiment, GR, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage who is also the Commander of the Army. Presence of Mrs Manel Mangalika Wimalarathna, the spouse of the Founding Father of the Gajaba Regiment, late Major General Vijaya Wimalarathna at the anniversary celebrations added great significance to the Keterain family.
The commemorative ceremony at the GR War Heroes' memorial preceded several other anniversary segments, including 'Pirith' chanting, alms-giving, offer of floral tributes to GR's Founding Father, etc where hundreds of GR veterans, family members of fallen and wounded War Heroes, Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks participated.
Recitation of the National anthem, Army song and the GR Regimental song respectively at first set the tone for the sequence of commemorative events with multi-religious observances, taking the pride of place. As troops stood vigil around the memorial, all those who have gathered there with the Commander of the Army and family members of those departed, observed a two-minute silence in remembrance of those fallen Keterians.
Seconds later, as all eyes were glued to the monument, the day's Chief Guest, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage amid reverberating solemn melodies inched his way to the towering, yet magnificent GR monument and saluted the memory of those great War Heroes. The Commander, being one of the proudest war veterans of the GR placed the floral wreath and revered their memory along with Mrs Manel Mangalika Wimalarathna, and Mrs Janaki Liyanage, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit in turn also placed a floral wreath before the monument.
Scores of white-clad sons and daughters of fallen GR War Heroes, accompanied largely by their mother or next of kin paced up with precise restraint and rapt attention, identical to those uniformed mourners proceeding ahead to honour their beloved departed ones was a magnificent spectacle which one could rarely see elsewhere. It was a moving moment of solemnity, affection and sheer respect for memories of Army Heroes of contemporary times.
Senior GR Officers, Officers and family members of fallen ones then followed suit and lined up to pay their respect to the War Heroes who made the supreme sacrifice for defence of the unitary status of the mother, Sri Lanka.
As reveille was played and the Last Post sounded everyone subsequently rose to their feet and once again recollected the memories of those War Heroes of yesteryear bringing the day's commemoration to an end in the presence of a large gathering.
175 Officers and 4075 Other Ranks of the Gajaba Regiment who performed an indelible task during the war to usher peace before May 2009 laid their lives for defence of the motherland whose sacrifices are admired by all Sri Lankans.
