Gajaba Regiment

The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 14 October 1983 at the Saliyapura Camp in Anuradhapura, it is named after the famous Sinhalese King Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regular battalions and 6 volunteer battalions.

History The 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st Rajarata Rifles and the 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne at Saliyapura Camp with a strength of 36 officers and 752 other ranks. The 2/3 (Volunteer) Rajarata Rifles was reconstituted as the 2nd (Volunteer) battalion, Gajaba Battalion at Fort Fredrick in Trincomalee on the 14 October 1983 under the command of the Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment was designed with a shield, two Keteri (battle axes) and a Kandian powder flask. The newly formed regular infantry battalion was deployed for internal security duties in the Jaffna Peninsula from 1983 to 1984 and again in 1985, where it sustained casualties in counter-insurgency operations. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War and Sri Lanka Army expanded and to cope with the demand of operational needs, a multi-battalion structure was introduced. A second regular infantry battalion was formed as the 3rd battalion in January 1986. Both regular battalions took part in the Vadamarachchi Operation in May 1987. With the start of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, both regular and volunteer units of the regiment were deployed in the southern part of the island for counter-insurgency operations. The regiment took part in all major offensives of the civil war and was involved in many major battles were the Gajaba units involved suffered over 80% casualty rates such as the 3rd battalion (149 killed and 115 missing) in the Battle of Pooneryn and the 8th battalion in the Second Battle of Elephant Pass. By the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the regiment had 27 battalions and 3,500 of its officers and men had been killed in action.Gajaba Regiment Silver Jubile

The regiment was awarded President's colours by President Mahinda Rajapakse on 11 January 2007. In 2008 a detachment from the regiment was sent to take part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

Sports Gajaba Supercross Since 1999, the Gajaba Regiment organizes the annual Gajaba Supercross in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders.

Gajaba Cricket In 2021 the regiment built the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium commissioned Thisara Perera as an officer.

Units

NoUnitFormedFormed atDisbandedFirst commanding officerNotes1 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment14 October 1983Saliyapura Camp Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya WimalaratneThis Battalion was established amalgamating the 1st Rajarata Rifle battalion and 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment2 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment14 October 1983Fort Fredrieck, Trincomalee Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna Disbanded 2nd Rajarata Rifles was re-activated and re-designated as 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment. 3 3rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment12 January 1986 Major S.T.T. Jayasundara4 4th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment17 August 1987Siddapura, Punani in Batticaloa District Lieutenant Colonel N. RathnayakeLater converted to 3rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment. From 23 November 2022, 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment Re-designationed as 4th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment5 5th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment3 March 1989Colombo Lieutenant Colonel P.C. Premachandra6 6th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment17 May 1990Saliyapura, Anuradhapura Lieutenant Colonel T.W. Jayawardana7 7th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment14 December1990Pankulam, Moravewa, Trincomalee District Lieutenant Colonel A.D.J.P. Suraweera8 8th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment17 December 1992Saliyapura Camp Major T.B. Moseth Later merged with 1st Gajaba Regiment on 4 June 2000 and later on 20 June 2001, the 8th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Major H.R.N. Fernando.9 9th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment8 March 1993 Lieutenant Colonel A.D. Subasinghe Later merged with 4th Gajaba Regiment on 1 June 2000 and later on 4 February 2004, the 9th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Lieutenant Colonel G.S.B. Thenne.10 10th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment7 January 1994Saliyapura Major N.A.J.C. Dias11 11th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment21 April 1994HorowupothanaLieutenant Colonel H.H.L. DE Silva12 12th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment8 October 2007 Lieutenant Colonel N.D.S.P. Niwnhella13 14th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment27 December 1997 Major N.A. Dharmarathna14 15th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment23 January 1997Meegalewa Bongama Major B. Ediriweera15 16th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment22 October 2008Illuppukadaweli Government School Major K.P.S.A. Fenando16 17th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment1 December 2007Horowpathana Major V.S. Kumarawansa17 18th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment30 March 20084 September 201818 19th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment25 September 200825 August 201819 20th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment5 December 2008 Major R.M.A.B. Rathnayaka20 21st (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment25 March 20097 April 2012 21 22nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment3 July 2009Saliyapura Anuradhapura Lieutenant Colonel D.R.N. Hettiarachchi22 23rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment18 August 2009 Gajaba Regiment Center20 July 2023 Lieutenant Colonel K.P.S.A. Fernando23 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment18 October 2009Saliyapura AnuradhapuraMajor D.U.N. SerasinghaFrom 23 November 2022 Re-designationed as 4th battalion the Gajaba Regiment24 25th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment10 November 200929 February 201225 26th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment1 November 2009Kalmadukulam?? Lieutenant Colonel W M S N Eragoda26 HQ Battalion of Gajaba Regiment27 May 1993Major D.J.I. Peramunu Gamage

Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya Lieutenant K. W. T. Nissanka Warrant Officer II H.B. Pasan Gunasekera Captain P. N. Punsiri Major W.M.I.S.B. Walisundara

Commanders

General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc – 23rd Commander of the Sri Lanka Army General Vikum Liyanage, RWP, RSP, USP, – 24th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army

Chiefs of Staff Major General U.B.L. Fernando – 39th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General W.H.K.S Peiris – 63rd Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe – 66th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

Deputy Chiefs of Staff Major General S. T. T. (Sathis) Jayasundera – 8th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General K.A.S. Perera – 25th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Nirmal Dharmaratne – 32nd Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Rasika Fernando – 33rd Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General C.D Ranasinghe – 41st Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe – 45st Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

Notable members Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne, RWP, RSP, VSP, USP – Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)). Lieutenant Colonel Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP – 8th President of Sri Lanka General Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc – Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV Major General Sumedha Perera, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc – Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development Major General Jagath Dias, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc – Adjutant General of Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV Major General Seevali Wanigasekara RWP, RSP VSV, USP, psc Major Shantha Wijesinghe – commanded the defense of Kokkilai and gained the first Battlefield promotion in the army Warrant Officer I Dinesh Priyantha – Sri Lankan paralympic track and field athlete Sergeant Maheesh Theekshana – Sri Lanka National Cricketer Corporal Ranjith Premasiri Madalana – Sri Lankan army sniper

Order of precedence

Gajaba Regiment

Bron en licentie