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Sri Lanka Army Regiments / Corps

Ruhunu Regiment

In early 1950 the only army unit in the Southern Province was volunteer Ruhunu Regiment. The officers of this unit were all rich landed Proprietors of businessmen of repute in the area. The Head quarter is of the Ruhunu Regiment was at Galle, and Matara was a detachment. With the change of Government in 1956 this regiment was disbanded as it was well known that all the officers were stalwarts or strong supporters of the opposition Party. However, to be fair by the other Ranks a detachment was raised at Galle under the volunteer Singha Regiment of Kandy. The only officer kept back from the disbanded Ruhunu Regiment was Lt. D.S. Somadewa Amerasuriya. In 1958 with the assassination of the Hon. Prime Minister Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike a curfew was imposed and volunteer Regiments were mobilized and this detachment at Galle was stationed at Town Hall.

It is not out of place to mention the relationship, the 2nd (Vol) Battalion the Ceylon Sinha Regiment had with Ruhunu Rifles in circa 1956, when the ‘C’ Company of the 2nd (Vol) Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry became the nucleus of the Rajarata Rifles, while the B ‘Company’ of 2nd (Vol) Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry located in Matara with a detachment in Galle became the nucleus of a new Infantry Regiment, the Ruhunu Rifles in 1955.

The activities of these two Battalions were suppressed in 1956 while the re-designation of Rajarata Rifles as 2nd (Vol) Battalion the Ceylon Sinha Regiment, and the Detachment at Galle was designated as ‘C’ Company of the Second (Vol) Battalion Ceylon Sinha Regiment, accordingly took place. After the 1st Battalion the Gemunu Watch was raised in 1962, the ‘C’ Company of the Second (Vol) Battalion Ceylon Sinha Regiment in Galle became the nucleus of a Volunteer Battalion raised in Galle and designated the 2nd (Volunteer) Battalion the Gemunu Watch. In 1969, the 3rd (Vol) Battalion Ceylon Sinha Regiment was raised in Nuwara Eliya with Officers and men of the Second (Vol) Battalion, the Ceylon Sinha Regiment.

Mechanized Infantry Regiment (MIR)

Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya visited the Regimental Headquarters of the Mechanized Infantry Regiment (RHQ-MIR) at Dambulla on Friday (21) and attended a few events organized by the MIR, formally commanded by Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya himself as the first Colonel of the Regiment. Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya on being received by the new Colonel of the Regiment and Military Secretary Major General Milinda Pieris was accorded a Guard Turnout and a Guard of Honour on arrival. During the visit, Army Commander declared opened the newly-built archway at the entrance to the premises. Upon his assuming duties as the 19th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya recently handed over the appointment of Colonel of the Regiment MIR to his successor, Major Gen. Milinda Pieris. Major. Gen. Milinda Pieris presented a memento to the Army Commander in appreciation of his services rendered to the MIR.