To coincide with today’s (8 August) 29th commemoration day of late Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and his accompanying team, Major General Wijaya Wimalarathne, Rear Admiral Mohan Jayamaha, Lieutenant Colonel H.R Stephen, Lieutenant Colonel G.H Ariyarathne, Lieutenant Colonel Y.N Palipana, Commander Asanga Lankathilaka, Lieutenant Colonel Nalin de Alwis, Lieutenant Commander C.B. Wijepura and the soldier, Private W.J Wickremasinghe, the construction of the new Museum plus the memorial site was initiated and redesigned by the then Commander, Security Forces-Jaffna, Major General Priyantha Perera, the incumbent Chief of Staff of the Army some months ago in consultation with the Army Chief. A brief announcement read out the saga behind the erection of this new Museum and the monument. Major General Jagath Kodituwakku and Major General Deepal Pussella - General Officer Commanding 51 Division, together with Major General Haren Peiris - General Officer Commanding 52 Division received the day’s Chief Guest on arrival at the location and invited the visiting General Shavendra Silva to unveil the plaque and the full-length portraits of those ten fallen War Heroes, embedded in the oval-shape wall and the small museum before floral tributes were paid. A brief multi-religious ceremony, attended by priests of Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and Islamic denominations transferred merits to departed War Heroes and recalled their memory as true patriots of the motherland.
As the brief ceremony kept vigil and turned solemn, the day’s Chief Guest slowly but steadily walked to the monument and laid the first floral wreath in memory of the late legendary, Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) who was held in high esteem by the general public as a true hero of contemporary times. Next, General Shavendra Silva remembered the memory of the famed warrior Major General Vijaya Wimalarathne, the founding father of the Gajaba Regiment and one of the finest field commanders of the Sri Lanka Army by placing a separate floral wreath in front of his portrait. Laying of floral wreaths in succession by Senior Navy Officers and other Officers in honour of fallen Navy and Army War Heroes during the same blast brought the brief commemoration to culmination after the Army Chief opened the small museum on one side of the memorial where remnants of the ill-fated vehicle were on display.
Playing of the national anthem, a two-minute silence, vigil mounting, reading of the commemorative citation and a colourful parade on the occasion remained prominent in the day’s itinerary. Last Post and Reville that sounded afterwards signified the conclusion of the commemorative ceremony. A tri-service parade saluted the day’s Chief
Guest as he joined the brief ceremony, held following health precautions.
Senior Officers including, Major General Deepal Pussella - General Officer Commanding 51 Division, Major General Haren Peiris - General Officer Commanding 52 Division, Major General Mahinda Jayawardena - General Officer Commanding 55 Division, Brigade Commanders and Other Ranks attended the commemorative ceremony at Araly Point, Jaffna.
