10th January 2018 16:54:06 Hours
1 Plant Engineer Regiment was formed in 1980, which was later re-designated as 5 Field Engineer Regiment. 5 Field Engineer Regiment became the mother regiment of the incumbent Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake. In early 1980s, Sri Lanka Army Engineers took over the National Transport Unit land at Maththegoda to house its historical 1 Plant Engineer Regiment. Since then, Maththegoda became the home for number of engineer establishments developing a simple coconut estate to a fully fletched military base. Abinitio the expansion of the Army, Mattegoda became the home for number of Engineer Battalions as well as the Workshop, Engineer Brigade and the Office of CFE. In mid 2017, Maththegoda Army camp was named as “Home of Sappers”.
Facilitating an appropriate Sapper’ Mess with a modern kitchen to large number of Soldiers at Maththegoda was a long – left essential need and fulfilled with the allocation of funds by Commander of the Army to construct fully – fledged Sappers’ Mess and a kitchen. The facility was declared opened by the Commander of the Army paying his first visit to home away from home on 27 December 2017 marking a new chapter in the Sappers’ history. The Commander of the Army on his arrival at Sappers’ Home warmly welcomed by the Colonel Commandant and the Commander Security Forces (West) Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe and Commanding Officer 5 Field SLE Major Sanjeewa Asweddumegedara.
The day’s formalities included a guard turn out, offering of flowers to shrine room, opening the newly constructed Sappers’ Mess, Group photograph with the construction team and with Sapper Officers, tree planting ceremony, tea with all ranks, briefing by the CFE and Commander Engineer Brigade, CBRN demonstration, troop address by the Commander of the Army and lunch at Officers’ Mess. A recorded number of Officers and Other Ranks participated at the event. The Colonel Commandant and the Commander Security Forces (West) Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Members of the Regimental Council of the Corps, Senior Officers, Officers, Senior Non Commissioned Officers and heaving gathering of Other Ranks witnessed the events showcasing the Espirit de Corps.
