World Free Media Day
The World Free Media Day fell on May 3. A workshop was organised by
the Government Information Department with the participation of Mass
Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. The Sri Lanka
Ex-Servicemen's Association Media Unit was invited to the workshop
organised by Government Information Department Director General Prof
Ariyarathne Athugala.
SLESA Media Committee Chairman Brigadier J P A Jayawardana and others
participated.
Prof Ariyaratne Athugala, Prof Sunanda Mahendra de Mel, Prof Dhamma
Dissanayake and other academics delivered lectures.
General Service Corps AGM
The Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps will hold it's Annual
General meeting on May 11 at the Regimental Auditorium, Panagoda at 9.30
am with Maj Gen (rtd) RKP Ranaweera, President in the chair.
Arrangements are being made to inaugurate a Medical Grants Scheme for
members.
Members are requested to arrive early and collect their membership
cards from the Secretary, Major Shanthalal Kankanamge.
Memoirs of a War Veteran Truce!
A few minutes past four, the bombardment began to subside. Kiselyov
cast a puzzled glance at the telephone. Taking another look at the watch
he dispatched Medvedev with another man to take a look out. They all
rose to their feet and started talking loudly. "Quiet comrades,"
Kiselyov said raising his arm. "There are 50 more minutes before the
assault starts". They heard hasty footsteps on the stairs. "Comrade
Lieutenant the Germans wants to see an officer". Kiselyov raised his
head. After a moments silence he asked "What for!". "I don't know. It
seems they want to speak to an officer".
"I am coming" Kiselyov nodded at Abyzov and some one else and tidied
his tunic. "You are coming with me".
They emerged from the cellar. The rain had stopped and acrid brick
dust was still in the air. When they reached the outpost, Kiselyov
shouted into the darkness, "who was asking for a Soviet Officer?". The
reply came from the other side of the street in Russian. "Truce envoys
we have text of the statement of the Berlin Garrison Commander,
addressed to Marshall Zhukov".
"You may come over to this side with your hands up".
One of the men switched on a flash light. In its dim beam they saw
several Germans with the white flag of truce. As they (Germans) were
crossing the street to their side Kiselyov ordered Medvedev to go to the
basement and inform the battalion commander. They met the Germans and
surrounded them closely. "Search them," Kiselyov said quietly.
The Germans were unarmed. They took them (Germans) to their cellar.
There were four of them; three middle aged lean men in civvies, although
one of them was wearing a uniform, his shoulder pieces showed through
the overcoat.
The fourth was a boy in helmet. He belonged to the Volkesturn. The
telephone operator reported to Kiselyov that the battalion Commander
would arrive in a minute.
One of the Germans were holding a big brown folder.
Nodding at it, Kiselyov asked whether it contained the document. The
Germans replied in the affirmative. "Give it to me" Kiselyov said.
The German knit his brow, but yielded.
Kisolyov put it on top of the box where the telephone was standing.
He pulled at the string and opened the case. It contained papers tidily
clipped together.
One copy was typed in German and the other was hand-written in
Russian. Kiselyov tried to read the handwritten copy. But his eye sight
was not good enough. He turned it over to Abyzov and asked him to read
it.
The paper said that the German Command is prepared to start
negotiations on the cessation of hostilities. They did not know what the
Germans have announced over the radio. That was precisely why the
bombardment had stopped ahead of time. The paper confirmed in writing
what had happened before. They knew now that the war was over.
As Abyzov read out the paper he could not recognize his voice. He
(Abyzov) could not understand easily. Perhaps because he was exited or
because of the unbearable din in his ears. While he was reaching nobody
uttered a single word. Finally he read, the signature Wielding. Kiselyov
took the sheets away from Abyzov and put them neatly back to the folder
and returned it to the man where the over coat betrayed his shoulder
pieces.
Kopayev rushed into the cellar. He was followed by Chenelcha the
regimental young communist League Organizer, and someone else. "Follow
me," he said to the Germans. They went up the steps one by one after
him.
Before leaving the cellar Kopayev called out, "Kiselyov you are not
to remove the men from the forward edge!" They stood in silence more
stunned by what had just happened then by all the preceding engagements,
together and all the artillery preparations and air raids.
To be continued ....
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