31st August 2018 16:06:18 Hours
One of most decorated legendary generals in the Sri Lankan military history, General R De S Daluwatte (Rtd) WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc passed away on last 27 August. He was 77 years old at the time of his demise.
General R de S Daluwatte enlisted in to the Regular Force of the Ceylon Army on 16 June 1961 and was trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom. Upon commissioning, as a 2nd Lieutenant he was posted to the 1 Reconnaissance Regiment, Ceylon Armoured Corps on 1 August 1963. He was served as the 14th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 1 May 1996 to 16 December 1998. Having been promoted to the rank of General, he served as Commander - Joint Operations and subsequently as the Chief of Defence Staff from 1999 to 2002. After retirement he held several key positions such as the Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Brazil, the Chancellor of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Chairman of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority and the Chairman - Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.
He was a keen sportsman, General R de S Daluwatte represented Sri Lanka in Basketball for several years and captained the national team in 1976.
The most noteworthy achievement in his command was capturing Jaffna Peninsula by defeating LTTE terrorists and acquiring the strategically important piece of land in the Northern Sri Lanka. As the Overall Operation Commander in the North and East, he launched the Operation Riviresa in 1995 bringing this cardinal victory to the Sri Lankan Armoured Forces.
This mighty cavalryman’s last rites were held with full military honours on Wednesday 29 August evening at the General Cemetery, Borella. The Part 1 Order issued by the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army at Army Headquarters offered deepest condolences of all ranks of the Army and states that his name and the services will be remembered forever in the annals of military history.
