EX-SERVICES News

ADVISORY COMMITTEE - VETERANS’ HOME

In consequence with the proposed Corporate Plan to be launched in 2013, SLESA president Captain Patrick Jayasinghe appointed the following Committee to advise on the sustainable development and the welfare of the residents at the Veterans’ Home, Bolagala, Katana.

Chairman: Major General Thilak Paranagama, Lt Cdr Somasiri Devendra, Lt Col Sunil Peiris, Daphe Perera, Commander Thilak Weerasinghe, Rear Admiral Saman Molligoda, Quintus Andradi and Air Vice Marshal Shriyan Samararatne.

Veterans’ Home chairman Rear Admiral S R Samarathunga will be the convener. S S Gunawardane will act as the Secretary to the Committee.

The Advisory Committee had the first meeting at the Veterans’ Home, Katana on January 6 followed by the second meeting at the Board Room of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Institute, Colombo 1.

EX-CO MEETINGS

The Executive Committee Meeting of the Sri Lanka Army Service Corps Ex-Servicemen Association will be held on January 19 at 10am at the SLESA Secretariat.

The Executive Committee of the Army Signals Association will be held on January 23 at 5.30pm at the SLESA Secretariat.

MEMOIRS OF A WAR VETERAN

Blast in the cellar

A familiar voice called out loudly, “two men come with me quick!”, Abyzov opened his eyes and now Sergeant Major Katkov standing on the thresh-hold without a greatcoat. He stood their tall and unshaven, waiting for someone to respond. The platoon began to stir, expressing disapproval.

The Sergeant Major left the door open and the mist made its way to the cellar, together with the sounds of fire.

He said: “Razuvayeu and Zherekov, come with me”

Yurka the musician, as he rose from the floor and stretched himself asked: “Where are we going comrade Sergeant Major? If it isn’t a secret, of course.”

“To get some grub boys, we have less than an hour left, before the artillery opens fire. There won’t be another chance.”

“To get some grub? With great pleasure,” the musician clowned. “and what about a shot of Vodka, Comrade Sergeant Major?”

“Sorry there’ll be no Vodka, only after the battle.”

Yuri and Zherekov brought two pails of thick pea soup with canned pork, and thermos bottle of tea. They ate their meal and even washed their mess tins. The time was a few minutes past four. “Yuri wind up your barrel organ now,” somebody said. As was always before a battle the mens’ spirits were rising an less time remained before one.

Their eyes gleamed with a devil may care feverish light, and the mens’ language became coarser, too.

Yurka the musician began to play a tune on his mouth organ and though the air in the cellar was stale with tobacco smoke and fumes of the wick lamp, the men began a merry song.

Time advanced slowly and the hands of the clock crept relentlessly towards fine. Lieutenant Kiselyon, the platoon leader entered the cellar. He was a middle-aged and rather stout former school teacher. The song gradually subsided. Yurka the musician stuck his month organ into the top of his boot, got up and invited the Lieutenant to take his place beside the lamp.

Kiselyon sat down and took a careful look at everyone and smiling sympathetically asked “Ansaous?

“Why should we”? Comrade Lieutenant Youri said with bravado. “Let the Fritzers do the worrying, let them be Ansaous”.

“Shut up musician,” Kurtator cried out. “You can make merry when we get to Berlin.” After a moment’s thought he added: “It would be a pity to get killed here at the very end of the war.”

Nodding at him Kiselyov said: “You are right, I ran Fyodorovich”.

At that moment, the dale door was knocked out by a powerful blinding flash. Something was collapsing in the pitch darkness. Somebody called out: “Comrades help”.

This happened only five minutes before their artillery preparation began.

They lost four men even before they went to the attack. Two were picked up by stretcher bearers and two were taken away by death. Such are the merciless mechanics of war.

To be continued ...