Sri Lanka Army, in view of its 70th anniversary, will hold a series of military formalities today (10) to commemorate the milestone.
The Army, recalling its dawning, stated that the land force was founded on the 10th of October 1949 as the ‘Ceylon Army’ after its first regular force was formed under the command of Brigadier R. Sinclair.
With the establishment of its own Military Academy in Diyatalawa, Brigadier Anton Muthukumaru assumed the mantle of office as the first Sri Lankan Commander of the then Ceylon Army.
Sri Lanka Army has been effectively commanded by 23 Commanders to-date and it has been expanded with 24 regiments.
Commander of Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, in his message for the Army’s 70th anniversary, said: “the pioneering service rendered by Army personnel without any hesitation at the expense of their lives has contributed largely to the prevailing sustainable peace and reconciliation in the country.”
He also noted that “the Army at present is spearheading a pioneering role in the sphere of national development.”
The Army Chief recalled the memories of all those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the motherland’s sustainable peace and reconciliation, including Officers, Other Ranks and members of the civil staff.
