Secy Defence & Service Chiefs Salute Their Memories with ‘Poppy’ Wreaths

The cenotaph, pointing skywards and its premises at the Colombo Vihara Maha Devi park, dedicated to the memory of unsung heroes in World War I and World War II, turned lively this morning (10) as the ‘Armed Forces’ Remembrance Day’, more popularly, called the ‘Poppy Day’ ceremony, organized by the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association (SLESA), got underway on a grand scale.

Headed by the day’s Chief Guest, General (Retd) Shantha Kottegoda, Secretary Defence, the solemn ‘Poppy Day’ Remembrance at the War Memorial added further significance with the participation of the Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Navy and Air Force Commanders, Tri Service War Veterans and representations from the Army, Navy and the Air Force and a host of family members.

The ceremony, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ravi Wijegunarathne on behalf of the SLESA drew representatives from several foreign nations, including diplomats and was coloured by solemn and melancholic tunes of bagpipes.

Major General (Retd) Upul Perera, President of SLESA and Chairman of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Poppy Commemoration and Cenotaph Development Committee and Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Ajith Siyambalapitiya, Secretary General of the SLESA, together with senior ex-servicemen welcomed the day’s Chief Guest and accompanying other distinguished service chiefs on arrival. SLESA seniors also pinned ‘Poppy’ flowers on the Secretary Defence and Service Chiefs on their arrival at the venue.

The brief ceremony got to a start with singing of the National Anthem and observance of a two-minute silence in memory of those World War heroes. Religious observances of all four major denominations followed, next. As ceremonially-dressed troops kept vigil around the corners of the cenotaph, the day’s Chief Guest then walked up to the cenotaph and placed the first ‘Poppy’ wreath and paid tribute to their memory. Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force afterwards followed suit and saluted the dead heroes, followed by next of kin of those dead ones.

Next, sounded the Last Post honouring their memory in accordance with military traditions as trumpeters of the tri-services, joined together to play the melody. Afterwards, the Reveille sounded, marking the culmination of the brief ceremony, attended by a large gathering of ex-servicemen and serving Officers and Other Rankers.

Today’s ceremony, the apex of a series of events preceded a ‘Poppy Week’ where Poppy flags, were also sold to the public. At the outset, the first Poppy Flag was pinned on the President at the President’s Secretariat.

November 11th is Remembrance Day and it is also known as Poppy Day. This year’s Poppy campaign, launched on August 15 covered the whole island. The Cenotaph War Memorial in Vihara Mahadevi Park is also dedicated to the military personnel from then Ceylon killed in action during the two World Wars. Sportswear free shipping | Nike nike dunk high supreme polka dot background , Gov