New Navy Commander

Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral D W A S Dissanayake has been appointed as the Navy Commander with effect from January 15,Navy spokesman Captain Athula Senarath told the Daily News yesterday.

Rear Admiral Dissanayake

Having joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1977 as an Officer Cadet, Rear Admiral Dissanayake made a great contribution towards ending terrorism which engulfed the country for more than three decades.

The Sri Lanka Navy destroyed the first LTTE boat with 19 terrorists on board for the first time in 1984 under his command.

He created a record in the Sri Lanka Navy’s history by overseeing the destruction of more than thirty terrorist boats.

Meanwhile present Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe has been promoted to the rank of Admiral with effect from yesterday. Admiral Samarasinghe was accorded a guard of honour at the Naval Headquarters yesterday morning.

Vice Admiral Samarasinghe having joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1974 as an Officer Cadet won the “Sword of Honour” of the fourth Intake at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee. Later he was appointed as the 16th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy.

He also achieved the Best International Midshipman award at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth UK in 1976 along with the appointment of Divisional Sub Lieutenant. Samarasinghe is a Specialist Navigator graduate from Navigation and Direction school INS Venduruthy, India securing first place in order of merit.