SRI LANKA AIR FORCE EX-SIGNALS - 20TH AGM

Sri Lanka Air Force Ex-Signals Association will hold its 20th Annual General Meeting at the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Institute, Vijithapura Hall on March 3 at 10 am.

SLESA FORMER TREASURER PASSES AWAY

Lt D A R Jayathunga, former Treasurer (2006 to 2008) of the SLESA passed away on February 10 after a brief illness. He also served as Assistant Secretary and Administrative Officer at the SLESA Secretariat.

Lt Jayathuga was also a long standing Secretary of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment Ex-Servicemen's Association.

ADVISORY COMMETTE MEETING

Advisory Board of Veterans' Home will meet on February 17 at SLESA Secretariat.

SLESA OFFICE BEARERS MEETING

Office Bearers Meeting of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association will be held on February 19 at 8.30 am at the SLESA Secretariat.

SLEME ASSOCIATION - AGM

The 18th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Army Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Ex-Servicemen's Association will be held on February 17 at 10 am at the Regimental Headquarters, Colombo 2 followed by fellowship and lunch.

SRI LANKA ARMY SERVICE CORPS - MEETING

The meeting of the Sri Lanka Army Service Corps Association will be held on February 16 at 10 am at the SLESA Secretariat.

BOOK ON MOSQUITO BORNE DISEASES

Surgeon Lt Commander (rtd) Doctor K D P Jayathilake has published a publication on Mosquito Borne Diseases in Sri Lanka.

Dr Jayathilake served in the Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval force from 1971 to 1984. He served in the Anti Malaria Campaign in the regions and the Head Office for 14 years, and in Papua New Guinea with the WHO.

He presented copies of his publications in Sinhala and English to Captain Patrick Jayasinghe, President of the SLESA to be kept in the SLESA Library for reference.

Memoirs of a War Veteran

A Brief Respite

Outside the factory, there was a large yard; on the opposite side low and long store building. There the 3rd Battalion was beating off an enemy assault, much to the relief of Blyzen and his colleagues.

They removed the black-out screens from the windows and laid them on the floor parallel to the rows of machine tools. The first thing they did was to take of their boots and shake the dust out of them.

Somebody called Abyzov's name loudly from the other end of the hall. Responding to the call he made his way in the direction of the voice, stumbling over sleeping men and components thrown out of the crates. A group of Muscovites - Vaya Medvedev, Seva Simanov and Balberg were gathered in a corner.

Looking at Abyzov through his spectacles asked; "Alive?" "Looks like it" Abyzov replied. They shared a piece of sausage, biscuits and condensed milk. Somebody gave Abyzov a flask, who took a mouthful. It was something terribly strong. He thought it was rum. He began to cough and the boys began to laugh at his expanse. It was good to feel their people around. Before they took the Seelow Heights he had only known Medvedev, Simonov and Balberg who joined the Company later. They were from the reserve regiment. They came to know each other during a brief lull just before Berlin, and they tried to stick together as much as they could. This sort of fellowship among men who hail from the same place was not introduced into the Army by them. Medvedev Simonov and Abyzov were practically the same age. There were all students at higher educational establishments in Moscow. Balberg was about ten years their senior, and had worked as a choreographer at the Bolshoi Opera and ballet theater in Moscow.

Above medium height, he had the face of a Greek God. He was handsome and had an impressive appearance even in his battered soldiers outfit.

When Ivanov joined as a Company Commander, he made Balberg his batman and runner. Medvedev, Simonow and Abyzov called each other by them first names; Vasya, Seva and Vova. They called Balberg by his second name; Balberg, though they know his first name and patronymics. That night they felt released. Perhaps, it was the lull after the intense fighting or it was the rum they had drunk. They laughed and slapped each other on their backs, not knowing that one of them would be dead the following day.

To be continued ...