Ex-Services News

New Office Complex for Ex Commando Legion

The Annual General Meeting and get together of the Ex-Commando Legion will be held on August 18 at the Commando Regimental Centre, Ganemulla under Major General P Chandrawansa's patronage.

All members are invited. New members are also welcome to join the Ex-Commando Legion. The office building will be opened by Patron Lt Col S D Peiris who was the first Commanding Officer.

Programme

1400 hrs - Arrival of members, 1500 hrs - Tea, 1530 - 1700 hrs Annual General Meeting, 1715 hrs - Opening of the new Office, 1800 hrs - Floral tribute to fallen Commandos, 1830 hrs - Get together and 2230 hrs - Conclusion of the programme

Musical extravaganza

A benefit show will be held by the Engineer Services' Association to raise funds to uplift the standard of the skills development of the. Trade Training School at Homagama with the collaboration of the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka .Proceeds will also be used to further improve the Associations' Death Donation Scheme.

The musical show will take place on August 19 at 6.30pm at the Youth Centre, Maharagama. Victor Ratnayake will participate along with Amarasiri Peiris, Deepika Priyadarshani and Nirosha Virajani. The winner of Ranaviru Real Star Ayomi Perera (Engineer Services Regiment) will be featured as a guest artiste.

Tickets are available at the entrance.

RCEL Annual Report

The Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League UK in their annual report states: "In Sri Lanka, SLESA's Poppy sale campaign is commendable and very successful, contributing significant amounts in direct welfare grants to war veterans and general support to the Bolagala Home. The Bolagala Home is a wonderful facility and provides accommodation for our war veterans. However, there is a certain amount of refurbishment required which has now been financially supported by RCEL."

SLESA President introduces Media and Publicity Committee

The following Media Committee members completed the media course conducted by the Information Ministry. Brigadier J P A Jayawardena, K A A Jayasekera, Captain B A C C Somaratne, J Premadasa, M G J Kithsiri, J N Yahiya, S Maharajage, S N P Sooriyabandara, A P N de Vas Gunawardena, B D Samson, Major K S Jayaratne, K N Perera and L J P Gunawardena. They were introduced to the Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association at their monthly meeting on July 27 by SLESA President Capt Patrick Jayasinghe. He said this team is expected to play an important role in the activities of SLESA and to establish a Media Unit.

Ayurvedic Garden

The Executive Committee and District representatives meeting of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Ex-Servicemen's was held at the Headquarters recently. President Major General Jaliya Nammuni lauded the organisers of an Ayurvedic Garden comprising medicinal herbs planted to commemorate War Heroes of the Regiment by their relations. This garden which is three acres was admired by everyone present.

Rules and Conventions Committee

Chairman: Major General L C R Goonewardena, Major General I Wijeratne, AVM Elmo Perera, Rear Admiral L D Dharmapriya, AVM S Samararatne, Commander Bandula Wijemanna, Capt R A D S Jayawardena, K N Perera, W S Jayawickrama and P K Perera Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee Chairman: Major General M G Muthalib, Commander T Gunathilake, Major G L M A de Silva, Jayaratne Banda, B M B Bansajayah, L J P Gunawardena and D Jayasiri

Memories of a War Veteran

Everyone contributed his might towards the Defence Fund, and as a result the donations exceeded the state's war spending in 1942. Blood was donated free by millions of women and the young mainly for the wounded officers and men.

But, Abyzov and his friends who worked in the rear had a rather easier time than those who fought the enemy in the front.

The ferocious battle of Stalingrad being fought on the banks of the river Volga was keenly followed with anxiety and hope by the whole of Russia and the rest of the world. Abyzov and his friends were eventually called up for active duty.

They were on their way to the East, however were light hearted singing away and eating the pies which were baked for them by their mothers, aware that they would be in the battle front in a month or two, after training. The train stopped at a small station 60 kilometres west of Gorky, and they got down here. They had to march on a snow covered road damaged by motor vehicles and tanks, through a pine forest, when they saw lights and campfires at a distance. Young recruits had arrived there an hour before and were trying to keep themselves warm.

The elderly sergeant who brought them announced, "This is your home for the time being. Prepare for the night. Put some pine branches on the ground. Make campfires and sit down back to back. It's all clear now?" he said.

They managed to get some sleep and in the morning field kitchen had arrived and the staffs there were busy baking bread. In the evening a large tent was erected in the clearing nearby and they were overjoyed.

After supper, they saw a Commander arriving in a horse drawn sleigh, and were told that personnel for the sniper school had arrived. He introduced himself as Major Studnev, the Commandant of the Sniper School. He said the mud huts will have to be built initially and in a few days arms and uniforms will be supplied. Thereafter the Major left for the village. The recruits had to dig pits to get the mud to construct the huts day in, day out which was to be constructed along the Moscow - Gorkey highway, a little distance from the village. Trees were felled and planks were sawn from them.

They were very tired at the end of each day, and rations were very thin and the Commanders explained that they were getting regular rations meant for the rear forces. However, they were happy that, they were going to be trained as snipers and would be super marksmen in the future, which was their dream. They were not issued with uniforms initially and were expected to wear-out their civilian clothes, before the uniforms were issued.

The mud huts were completed finally and each of them was to house a company leaving compartment at the end for the sergeant major at the entrance and another the other end for the officers.

Several more huts were built as store rooms and depots and one as a mess room. Premises for headquarters and a guard house was also built and the school area was enclosed with a fence. A block of land was leveled to be used as a Reviewing and Parade ground.