The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 14 October 1983 at the Saliyapura Camp in Anuradhapura, it is named after the famous Sinhalese King Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regular battalions and 6 volunteer battalions.
| Gajaba Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment | |
| Active | 14 October 1983 – Present |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Branch | Sri Lanka Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Infantry warfare |
| Size | 20 battalions |
| Regimental Centre | Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura. |
| Nickname(s) | Keterians (Battle Axes) |
| Motto(s) | ‘Samagiya Shakthiyai' (Unity is Strength) |
| Colors | Light green |
| Anniversaries | 14 October (Regimental day) |
| Engagements | Sri Lankan Civil War 1987–1989 JVP insurrection United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti |
| Decorations | 4 Parama Weera Vibhushanaya 64 Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya 783 Rana Wickrama Padakkama 3896 Rana Sura Padakkama |
| Commanders | |
| Centre Commandant | Brigadier UKDDP Udugama |
| Colonel of the Regiment | General Shavendra Silva |
| Notable commanders | Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | "GAJABA" shoulder tab |
History
editThe 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st Rajarata Rifles and the 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne at Saliyapura Camp with a strength of 36 officers and 752 other ranks. The 2/3 (Volunteer) Rajarata Rifles was reconstituted as the 2nd (Volunteer) battalion, Gajaba Battalion at Fort Fredrick in Trincomalee on the 14 October 1983 under the command of the Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment was designed with a shield, two Keteri (battle axes) and a Kandian powder flask. The newly formed regular infantry battalion was deployed for internal security duties in the Jaffna peninsula from 1983 to 1984 and again in 1985, where it sustained casualties in counter-insurgency operations. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War and Sri Lanka Army expanded and to cope with the demand of operational needs, a multi-battalion structure was introduced. A second regular infantry battalion was formed as the 3rd battalion in January 1986. Both regular battalions took part in the Vadamarachchi Operation in May 1987. With the start of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, both regular and volunteer units of the regiment were deployed in the southern part of the island for counter-insurgency operations. The regiment took part in all major offensives of the civil war and was involved in many major battles were the Gajaba units involved suffered over 80% casualty rates such as the 3rd battalion (149 killed and 115 missing) in the Battle of Pooneryn and the 8th battalion in the Second Battle of Elephant Pass. By the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the regiment had 27 battalions and 3,500 of its officers and men had been killed in action.[1]
The regiment was awarded President's colours by President Mahinda Rajapakse on 11 January 2007. In 2008 a detachment from the regiment was sent to take part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.[2]
Sports
edit- Gajaba Supercross
Since 1999, the Gajaba Regiment organizes the annual Gajaba Supercross in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders.
- Gajaba Cricket
In 2021 the regiment built the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium commissioned Thisara Perera as an officer.
Units
editRegular Army
edit- 1st Gajaba Battalion
- 3rd Gajaba Battalion
- 4th Gajaba Battalion (formed on 15 August 1987 at Punani. First commanding officer was (Acting) Major N. Ratnayake)
- 6th Gajaba Battalion (formed on 17 May 1990 at Vavunia. First commanding officer was Major T.W. Jayawardane)
- 8th Gajaba Battalion
- 9th Gajaba Battalion
- 10th Gajaba Battalion
- 12th Gajaba Battalion
- 14th Gajaba Battalion
- 16th Gajaba Battalion
- 20th Gajaba Battalion
- 21st Gajaba Battalion
- 22nd Gajaba Battalion
- 23rd Gajaba Battalion
- 24th Gajaba Battalion[3]
- Gajaba HQ Battalion
Volunteers
edit- 2nd(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 October 1983)
- 5th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 7 July 1989)
- 7th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 December 1990)
- 11th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 21 April 1994)
- 15th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 23 June 1997)
- 17th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 1 December 2001)
- 18th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 30 March 2008 and disbanded on 04 September 2018)
- 19th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 September 2008 and disbanded on 25 August 2018)
- 21st(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 March 2009 and disbanded on 07 April 2012)
- 25th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 10 November 2009 and disbanded on 29 February 2012)
Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
edit- Lieutenant K. W. T. Nissanka †
- Warrant Officer II H.B. Pasan Gunasekera †
- Captain P. N. Punsiri †
- Major W.M.I.S.B. Walisundara †
Notable members
edit- Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne, RWP, RSP, VSP, USP † - Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)).
- Lieutenant Colonel Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP - former President of Sri Lanka
- General Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV
- General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc - Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and GOC 58th division in Eelam war IV
- Major General Sumedha Perera, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development
- Major General Jagath Dias, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc - Adjutant General of Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV
- Major General Seevali Wanigasekara RWP, RSP VSV, USP, psc
- Major Shantha Wijesinghe † - commanded the defense of Kokkilai and gained the first Battlefield promotion in the army[4]
- Warrant Officer I Dinesh Priyantha - Sri Lankan paralympic track and field athlete
- Sergeant Maheesh Theekshana - Sri Lanka National Cricketer
- Corporal Ranjith Premasiri Madalana † - Sri Lankan army sniper
Order of precedence
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Gajaba Regiment Silver Jubile[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tenth UN Peace Keeping Contingent to Leave Soo". Archived from the original on 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ "22 Gajaba Regiment Commences Functioning". Archived from the original on 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
- ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra. "Army loses hero of Kokilai battle". Island. Retrieved 10 April 2020.