Due to the murders and other atrocities committed against civilian men women, children, clergy, irrespective of sex or nationality, and members of the armed forces by the LTTE terrorist organization, demanding the creation of a separate state for the northern Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Army became embroiled in the ethnic conflict, necessitating the strengthening of its manpower by creating the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force which was the significant need at the time. New volunteer units had to be established to fulfil this requirement and the 2nd Battalion Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps (Volunteer) was created as an integral part of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force on 20th May 1980 by gazette notification no 122 of 2 January 1981.
At the commencement, the volunteer company was administered by the Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps regular Battalion. This consisted of soldiers who performed duties relating to pay and records, agriculture and bands. Soldiers from 5SLA, SLAPC and National Service Regiments were transferred to establish this new company. Commanding Officer Colonel R Wijesinghe and the first officer commanding were Major PC Premachandra who came on inter-regiment transfer from SL Army Pioneer Corps administered by the 1SLAGSC unit and performed duties from 20 May 1980 to 04 February 1988.
In 1977, after the dissolution of National Service regiments, 36 members of the cultural dancing troupe were attached to SLNG and 5SLA(V) were re-attached to SLAGSC (V) in 1980. Thereafter 25 were recruited by the HQ SLAVF and posted to the Volunteer Company of SLAGSC on 18 August 1980. This was the first batch absorbed as direct enlisted soldiers to the SLAGSC(V).
Officer Cadet KAJH Fernando and Officer Cadet IH Somasiri were the first two officers who followed the Basic Officer Cadet Course at Volunteer Force Training School Diyatalawa and posted to the 2(V)SLAGSC.
Army HQ letter G/SD/197 dated 11 July 1987, was published to reorganize the group of 14 officers and 269 Other Ranks with effect from 25 June 1987.
The Sri Lanka Cadet Corps, under command to SLAVF was re-established as the National Cadet Corps. 5 officers from SL Cadet Corps were posted to the mainstream of the SLAGSC(V) and 10 officers were posted as the additional crew for this unit in 1987. Out of those 10 additional officers, some were transferred to various regiments while the rest were attached to other units and military establishments under this Unit.
Major MA Buhari O/2147 was transferred from SLNG to this Unit on the inter regiment transfer basis on 01 January 1987. He was subsequently promoted to temporary Lt Colonel and performed duties as the first Grade I Staff Officer (law) at Army Headquarters on 24 Oct 1982.
The 2nd Bn Sri Lanka Army General Corps was created as a separate battalion of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force effective 01 Dec 1996 by 13/97 ARO published on 12 Jan 1997. Army HQ approved Bn organization of 35 officers and 816 other ranks on 22 January 1992 to enhance the strength of 13 officers and 510 other ranks attached to the mainstream. Officers, on the basis of pay and pension, officers of Legal, computer, Intelligence, Psychology, Hotel Management and English Instructors were attached. Thereafter soldiers were recruited as computer operators in the composite group and transferred to IT Unit with the consent of the AHQ and soldiers were recruited for hotel management, rehabilitation and Psychological operations and absorbed to the mainstream of the organization. The new organization of 47 officers and 144 ORs was approved by the AHQ. 34 Militarized civilians also had approval to the organization on 27 May 2009.
Different places in which the Officers and other ranks of the unit were performing duties are as follows:
Officers
- Directorate of Pay & Records duties
- Hotel Management duties
- Agricultural duties
- Miscellaneous Administration duties
- Operational duties
Other Ranks
- Clerks
- Band Platoon
- Miscellaneous Administration duties
- Computer operating
- Pay and records duties
- Agricultural duties
- Instructor duties
- Operational duties
Officers and ORs recruited for composite groups were attached to relevant positions according to their trades.
- National Cadet Corps (Officers)
- Legal Officers
- English Instructors (Officers)
- Intelligence Duties
- Telephone Operators
- Pre-school Instructors
- Sinhala Language Instructors
- Civil Army Based
Unit Responsibilities & Tasks
- Pay & Records Duties
- Band Duties
- Agriculture & Farm Duties
- Various Administration & Operational Duties
The unit was established in the Army Cantonment Panagoda as per the routing order. Due to terrorists activities the unit was again re-established at Kalanithissa Power Station to secure Vulnerable places since February 2006.
On 04 March 2008 unit was again located at Delgoda, Ahugammana area under 142 Brigade to provide security to sector 16. With the liberation achieved after more than 3 decades of brutal war the Unit was re-located in the farm premises at Habarakada, Panagoda. The Unit was combined by new entrants to the Army Cantonment Panagoda since 21 August 2013.
