The government will extend its highest respect to the security forces; army, navy, air force and the police and will execute its responsibility to strengthen them to help to win their future challenges, gratefully remembering their commitment made through many a sacrifice during the period of conflict, said President Maithripala Sirisena.
The President made these remarks at a ceremony held yesterday (30th Jan.) at the Sinha Regiment in Ambepussa to award of the first-ever President’s Truncheon and the Regimental Truncheon to Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR).
This novel and the history-making presentation of the President’s Truncheon, equivalent to that of an honorary ‘Colour’ and a unique emblem upon which soldiers swear allegiance to the Regiment and the State, further recognizes and would serve a fitting tribute to SLSR soldiers’ unparalleled achievements, exemplary valour, gallantry, dedication and commitment to the cause, and more distinctively, its War Heroes’ unmatched supreme sacrifices in the battlefields.
The SLSR, having seen its birth as a Rifle Regiment on 1 October 1956 at Diyatalawa Imperial Camp, to be identical with the ‘Green Jacket’ regiment of the Queen’s British Army, has not been considered for award of Colours, to be in line with age-old inherent British military traditions which do not advocate awarding of Colours to ‘Rifle Regiments’, more popularly, identified as ‘Green Jacket’ regiments.
Even as of today, the two Rifle Regiments in the British Army, The Rifles and the Royal Gurkha Rifles carry their battle honours on their drums while the Royal Green Jackets also had theirs inscribed on their cap badge. However, this tradition is maintained by The Rifles, who wear the Maltese cross badge of the Royal Green Jackets, inscribed with the regimental honours as the belt badge. In place of a Regimental Colour, the Gurkhas carry the Queen’s Truncheon.
The President commended the pride and great service rendered by Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment for the national security in the country.
President Sirisena who arrived in the regiment was welcomed with pride and honor.
He inspected the march past and later observed the new library, built by the labour of the soldiers of the Sinha Regiment.
He also presented gifts to the students of Chinadeniya Maha Vidyalaya who passed Grade – 5 Scholarship Exam.
Minister, Field Martial Sarath Fonseka, Defense State Minister Ruwan Wijeyewardene and the Secretary to the Defense Ministry, Karunasena Hettiarachchi participated at this occassion.