THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMY VISITED CORPS OF SIGNALS IN RESPECT OF SIGNALLERS ON THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY

On the invitation of Military Secretary of the Sri Lanka Army and Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals Maj Gen Ajith Wijesinghe USP ndu psc, the Commander of Army Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake RWP RSP VSV USP USACGSC graced the Day’s programme of 75^th Anniversary Celebrations of the Corps of Signals as the Chief Guest, that was held during the morning hours on 19th October 2018 at the Signal Regimental Centre, Panagoda.

The Commander was warmly received by Colonel Commandant on his arrival at the main entrance to the Corps of Signals where the Commander was firstly accorded the Guard Turnout. Then the General Officers of the Corps of Signals including Chief Signal Officer together with Commander Security Force (West) and the Signal Regimental Centre Commandant received the Commander and conducted him to the Monument. The Commander then paid floral tribute before the Signals Monument in honour of the brave Signallers who made supreme sacrifice during the historical past of the Corps. That was followed by the Ceremonial Guard of Honour presented to the Commander by the Signals troops commanded by Capt WADL Gunawardane SLSC, and Colonel Commandant accompanied Commander during this procession.

The Commander was then received by the Senior Officers of the Corps of Signals and the former Signal Regimental Commanders and Colonel Commandants as he approached the Regimental Headquarters. Subsequently, the symbolic representation to the future, the Main Plaque of the 75^th Anniversary of the Corps of Signals was unveiled by the Commander at the presence of the serving and retired Senior Officers and a cross section of serving Other Ranks in the midst of playing ‘Magul Bera’ (ceremonial drumming). Commander then posed for a photograph firstly together with retired Senior Signal Officers before the 75^th Anniversary Main Plaque followed by the Anniversary Group Photograph taken before the Signal Regimental Headquarters.

From the Regimental Headquarters end, the Commander was conducted to the unit line where the rest of the series of events were taken place. In this sequence, Commander firstly declared open the newly built two storey Corporals’ and Signalmen’s Mess amidst chanting of ‘Seth pirith’ and graced the brief ceremony of the launching of Anniversary First Day Cover and the Commemorative Stamp in the presence of the Secretary of the Ministry of Post, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs, Post Master General, Director of Phyletic Bureau and its officials, which was held in the up stair of the newly opened Other Ranks’ Mess. During this ceremony, the Video Documentary of the 75^th Anniversary too was exposed for the first time.

After the First Day Cover and Commemorative Stamp Launching Ceremony, on the invitation of the Colonel Commandant, the Commander of the Army addressed the hall full of Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks of the Corps of Signals. At the end of the Commander’s inspiring speech, Colonel Commandant presented the Anniversary Plaque to the Commander, which was followed by planting a sapling by the Commander and then held the All Ranks Tea Party. The day’s events were concluded as the Commander declared open the newly built ICT Training Lab, in the place where the Commander inked his considerate remarks about the Corps of Signals on the Visitors Book, prior to his departure.

Corps of Signals considers it’s an upright privilege and honour the presence of the Commander of the Army on the day the Corps of Signals celebrated its most significant milestone in the era, the 75^th Anniversary.