Gajaba Regiment
Gajaba Regiment | |
---|---|
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti | |
Decorations | 4 Parama Weera Vibhushanaya 64 Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya 783 Rana Wickrama Padakkama 3896 Rana Sura Padakkama |
Commanders | |
Centre Commandant | Brigadier UKDDP Udugama |
Colonel of the Regiment | General Shavendra Silva |
Notable commanders | Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | "GAJABA" shoulder tab |
The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite
battalions.History
The 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st
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 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 had lost 3,500 officers and men who had been killed in action.[1]
The regiment was awarded
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.[2]
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
Regular Army
- 1st Gajaba Battalion
- 3rd Gajaba Battalion
- 4th Gajaba Battalion (formed on 15 August 1987 at Punani. First commanding officer was (Acting) Major N. Ratnayake)
- 6th Gajaba Battalion (formed on 17 May 1990 at Vavunia. First commanding officer was Major T.W. Jayawardane)
- 8th Gajaba Battalion
- 9th Gajaba Battalion
- 10th Gajaba Battalion
- 12th Gajaba Battalion
- 14th Gajaba Battalion
- 16th Gajaba Battalion
- 20th Gajaba Battalion
- 21st Gajaba Battalion
- 22nd Gajaba Battalion
- 23rd Gajaba Battalion
- 24th Gajaba Battalion[3]
- Gajaba HQ Battalion
Volunteers
- 2nd(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 October 1983)
- 5th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 7 July 1989)
- 7th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 December 1990)
- 11th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 21 April 1994)
- 15th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 23 June 1997)
- 17th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 1 December 2001)
- 18th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 30 March 2008 and disbanded on 04 September 2018)
- 19th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 September 2008 and disbanded on 25 August 2018)
- 21st(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 March 2009 and disbanded on 07 April 2012)
- 25th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 10 November 2009 and disbanded on 29 February 2012)
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 †
Notable members
- - Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)).
- Permanent Secretaryto the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV
- Sri Lankan Armyand GOC 58th division in Eelam war IV
- - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development
- Adjutant Generalof Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV
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- Major Shantha Wijesinghe † - commanded the defense of Kokkilai and gained the first Battlefield promotion in the army[4]
- 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
See also
References
- ^ Gajaba Regiment Silver Jubile[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tenth UN Peace Keeping Contingent to Leave Soo". Archived from the original on 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ "22 Gajaba Regiment Commences Functioning". Archived from the original on 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
- ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra. "Army loses hero of Kokilai battle". Island. Retrieved 10 April 2020.