Nation salutes War Heroes on Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day (Poppy Day) an annual event held to pay tribute to fallen War Heroes, was marked at Vihara Maha Devi Park Colombo on Sunday (09) with the attendance of a host of distinguished guests and Service Personnel. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and invited guests were welcomed with a poppy flower pinned on them at the entrance to the premises.

Later, a two-minute silence was observed before the Last Post by Army buglers brought all to attention in memory of the "Remembered". The Ode read by President of Sri Lanka Ex-servicemen's Association General Hamilton Wanasinghe was followed by recital of the National Anthem and subsequent religious observances of all major faiths, conducted by representative priests.

Next was the time to pay floral tribute to valiant warriors who fought at the 1st and 2nd World Wars and laid their lives for the sake of world peace. The Prime Minister, President of Sri Lanka Ex-servicemen's Association, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of three Armed Forces, Foreign Diplomats and Military Officers, living soldiers who fought at the Second World War and soldiers who became differently abled during the war in the North and the East placed wreaths of flowers at the foot of the towering War Heroes' Monument remembering real heroes of the 20th Century.

Relatives of soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the Northern and Eastern war theatres also joined to pay homage to their dear departed ones, with sentiment-filled hearts.

Culmination of the Remembrance Day programme saw a smart parade accorded to the cenotaph by Sri Lanka NAVY Band, Tri Forces soldiers, Ex-servicemen and Sri Lankan soldiers who served with the Royal Army, marching with shining decorations and hearts full of inexpressible pride. (SL Army)