EX- SERVICES NEWS

Sri Lanka EX- Servicemen's Association:

SLESA Executive Committee meeting

The sixth monthly meeting of the SLESA Executive Committee will be held on October 28 at 4pm at the SLESI Auditorium, 29, Bristol Street, Colombo 1.

SL Armed Forces Pensioners Association Ex-Co meeting

The Sri Lanka Armed Forces Pensioners Association held its Ex-Co meeting at the SLESI Auditorium on October 16, under the Chairmanship of Major General Tilak Paranagama VSV USP.

Hony. Secretary B D Samson presented the minutes of the past meeting and Hony Treasurer Major K S Jayaratne USP presented the bi-annual budget.

Items discussed were the Pensioners' National Day and unsolved problems faced by the pensioners, and action taken at present and to be taken in the future.

The committee expressed satisfaction at the action taken by the Chairman so far.

The next Executive Committee meeting will be held on February 26, 2012 at SLESI.

Visit to Veterans' Home

Armed Forces Pensioners Association office bearers and committee members headed by Major General Tilak Paranagama visited the Veterans' Home on October 24 to see the progress of the construction of the new residential complex at Bolagala and shared lunch with the residents of the Home.

Gajaba Bi-AGM and foundation stone laying ceremony

The Gajaba Regiment Ex-Servicemen's Association Executive Committee will hold its bi-annual general meeting at the swimming pool complex, Saliyapura, Anuradhapura on November 6.

The office complex and the holiday home will be declared open on November 7 at 10.30 am. All members are invited for the bi-annual general meeting and the opening ceremony. The Chief Guest will be Gajaba Regiment Commander Major General A K S Perera WWB RWP RSP.

Armour Veterans AGM

The 39th Annual General Meeting followed by a get-together of the Armour Veterans Association will be held on October 29 at 9 am at Rock House Camp, Mutwal, Colombo 15.

All the members of the association are invited to attend this occasion.

Sri Lanka Army Engineers' Association get-together

The get-together of the members of the Sri Lanka Army Engineers Association was held at their office Complex, The Bridge, Mattegoda on October 23.

Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Association history

The members of the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF), which was established under Naval Volunteer Force Ordinance No 1 of 1937 of Ceylon, were mobilized on August 31, 1939 and on October 2, 1939 placed the Force on a war footing through a Gazette Extraordinary.

The formation of the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) began in 1939 with the mobilization of the members of the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) for World War II duties. Halfway through the World War II on October 1, 1943 the Admiralty assumed financial and operational control of the CNVF re-naming it the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR).

With the cessation of hostilities at the end of 1945, most officers and men who were in service during World War II were released and a small contingent continued to serve in the Navy. CRNVR was handed back to the Government of Ceylon on April 1, 1946.

The Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) Association was conceived and formed in January, 1946 to ensure the welfare of those who were released from CRNVR and others who would be released in due course.

The man who was responsible for the formation of the CRNVR Association was late Captain Willoughby Greaves Beauchamp, C.B.E., VRD. It was he who commanded the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve comprising men who performed their various duties most meticulously and efficiently.

CRNVR Association passed a resolution at its AGM in 1966 to admit to the association, retired members and members who legitimately left the Royal Ceylon Volunteer Naval Force and Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force for the continuation and sustenance of the Association as all original members of CNVF and CRNVR have reached their evening of life.

To ensure successful perpetuity of CRNVR Association, in 1995 Captain Patrick Jayasinghe, the then Vice President of the SLNA and incumbent President of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association was released from SLNA to revive activities of the CRNVR Association and was subsequently elected President of CRNVR Association. Thereafter, many Royal Ceylon Volunteer Naval Force (R Cy VNF) and Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force (SLVNF) personnel joined as members and at present CRNVR Association is entirely run by them.

Past Presidents of CRNVR Association

Captain W G Beauchamp, C.B.E, V.R.D (1946-1950), Rear Admiral G R M de Mel, O.B.E (1951-1956), Commander A V Fruginiet, O.B.E, V.R.D (1956 Apl - July), Commander (S) K M Martinus, M.B.E (1956-1962), Captain W Molegoda, JP (1963-1964), Surgeon Captain A Balakrishnan (1964-1965), Commander (E) E L Matthysz (1966-1967), Commander D C Ingleton (1968-1969), A de S G Punchihewa (1969-1973), Lieutenant Commander N P S Wijewickrema (1974-1975), Rear Admiral G R M de Mel, O.B.E (1976-1979), Lieutenant Commander P N L Mendis (1980-1998), L V Adihetty (1999-2003), Captain W P J S Jayasinghe, PSV, JP (2004- 2006), Lieutenant Commander S Cro os, PSV (2006 Feb - June), Commodore G E S de Silva, PSV (2006 to date)

Captain W G Beauchamp and Captain William Molegoda became Presidents of SLESA and the present incumbent Captain Patrick Jayasinghe was the Hony. Secretary General SLESA from 1999 to 2007. He was succeeded by Commodore G E S de Silva who held the position from 2007 to 2009. Rear Admiral Royce de Mel is the first Sri Lankan to command the Navy. He was also the first President of Sri Lanka Naval Association.

Office bearers 2011/2012

Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Association

Patron: Vice Admiral D.W.A.S. Dissanayake, WV, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Patrons: Captain D P Cooray, G.A.Barrow, Captain A. Herath Banda, PSV, Commanding officer SLVNF, President: Commodore G E S de Silva, PSV, Vice Presidents: Lt. Commander S Croos, PSV, Lt. Commander V Pastor Peiris, Surg. Lt. Commander K D P Jayathillaka, Hony. Secretary: S G M Gomes, Hony. Asst Secretary: Sub Lieutenant R W M Podinilame, Hony. Treasurer: Lt. Commander M D R S Peiris, Hony. Asst Treasurer: L L D Karunaratne, Committee: Commander ARWMMAJ Amarakoon, Lt. P Seneviratne, Sub Lt. MWRN de Silva, Sub Lt. DMU Dissanayake, BAC Perera, KM Nandasena, BP Wijesuriya, PDSW Perera, HAO Perera and NHDK George, Hony. Auditor: Sub Lt. K A Raymond

SLEME Ex-Servicemen's Association Death Donation fund

Chairman: Captain M A J Perera, Secretary: Major G A Bandula, Treasurer: Captain J N J Silva