Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment

Commando Regiment
Active	1980 - Present
Country	Sri Lanka
Branch	Sri Lanka Army
Type	Commando
Role	Special operations Counter-terrorism
Size	5 Regiments
Part of	Commando Brigade
Regimental Centre	Ganemulla
Motto	Nothing is Impossible
Colors	Maroon
Engagements	Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War
Commanders
Colonel of the Regiment	Maj Gen CP Gallage RWP RSP USP
Centre Commandant	Lt Col CHMCPK Chandrasekara
Insignia
Identification symbol	"COMMANDO" shoulder tab Maroon beret with regimental cap badge

The Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment (CR) (කොමාන්ඩෝ ‍රෙජිමේන්තුව) is an elite special operations unit which is a Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. Within one of the four Army Commando Regiments there is a 140-man counter-terrorist unit that provides the primary Counter-terrorism response for Sri Lanka. This unit was created in 1980 and is based in Ganemulla, a suburb of Colombo.^[1]

History

In 1977 Lt. General J.E.D Perera, founder of Commandos, issued a call to combating terrorism in Sri Lanka, a decision was made by the Army HQ to raise a special counter-terrorist unit. Maj. Sunil Peris from 1GW, Capt. Sarath Handapangoda from 1st SR and three other ranks were selected as a Core Group and training commenced in the Ella Camp, Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa.

On 9 February 1978 the first ever commando training course commenced, Lt U. Edirisinghe and Lt. L. Chandrawansa, and 24 Other Ranks were drawn from the Armoured Corps, Artillery, Engineers, Sri Lanka Light Infantry, Sinha Regiment and the Gemunu Watch on a volunteer basis. Lt Percy Fernando was drawn from Officer Cadet School to assist in training. Lt. Srinath Rajapaksa, Lt. Vijitha Walikala, and four Officers volunteered for the second training course conducted at Diyatalawa. All trainees of both courses, except for aforementioned Officers, returned to their parent units after training.

A Commando squadron was formed in Gemunu Watch ‘B’ Camp at Diyatalawa and Maj S.D. Peiris GW was appointed officer commanding, and Capt. Sarath Handapangoda was appointed as 2nd In Command. Shortly after that, the Squadron received specialized training in anti-terrorist and anti – hijack techniques conducted by the members of the elite Special Air Service Regiment of Britain. The Commandos were later trained in parachuting at Agra, India and they performed their maiden display during Army Day celebrations on 10 October 1980. 4 December 1980, the Squadron moved to its new premises in Ganemulla. In 1981 the Commandos were employed in counter terrorist operations in Jaffna for the first time. It also performs special duties in the Presidential Security Division. To meet the operational requirements the Commando Regiment was expanded and a Commando Brigade was formed on the 18th of March 1997. A third regiment was formed August 1, 2007 with Maj Udith Bandara as officer commanding.

Organization

The units used 20 man teams which are split into four 4-8 man assault units. They have received training from Great Britain, India, Israel and Pakistan. Approximately 40 per cent of the Regiments are airborne qualified. The three Commando Regiments and three Special Forces Regiments are grouped into an Independent Brigade under the command of a Brigadier. Approximately 95 percent of the two Commando Regiments are airborne qualified, either in Pakistan (training now discontinued), India or at the commando training school in Ganemulla. It may operate in conjunction with the Special Boat Squadron of the Sri Lanka Navy, although this has not been confirmed. The Commando Regiment has only 4 Regular Units.

Function

Enactment of a hostage rescue scenario by Commandos.

Current CR roles are believed to include:

• Protection of senior Sri Lankan dignitaries, military officers and VVIPs.
• Intelligence collection in the deep and medium battlespace.
• Battlespace preparation by sabotage and offensive raiding in the medium battlespace.
• Anti–hijack and counter-terrorism operations inside Sri Lanka territory in conjunction with police forces.
• Hostage rescue-related operations.

Units

Lt.Col. S.D. Peiris was a Major first commanding officer of 1st Commando Regiment.

Regular Army

• 1st Commando Regiment
• 2nd Commando Regiment
• 3rd Commando Regiment
• 4th Commando Regiment
• 5th Commando Regiment
• HQ BN Commando(RFT)
• Commando Regiment Training School

Military operations

Operation Thoppigala

The 3rd Commando Regiment participated in the military offensive which was launched to capture the Thoppigala (Baron's cap) from LTTE during the period of June/July 2007. They managed to seize the rocky plateau which had been named by the LTTE as Tora Bora. Around 200 LTTE cadres were killed during the entire offensive.^[2]

Reconnaissance missions

• Periyamadu rescue (November 22, 2001): An eight man reconnaissance team was surrounded by the LTTE at Periyamadu, Vanni region 20 km inside the enemy lines after an anti-personnel mine blast which injured one of them. The trapped team was rescued by the Helicopter Squadron deployed from the Hingurakgoda Air Force base.^[3]

Notable members

• Major General Janaka Perera RWP, RSP, VSP, USP, rcds, psc, CR - former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, a Leader of Operation "Riviresa", former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia & Ambassador to Indonesia
• Major General Percy Fernando RWP, RSP, psc, CR  † - former Deputy commanding officer of 54th Division
• Major M.D. Manjula Sarathchandra, CR  † - attached to Commando 2 Regiment killed during the "Operation Jayasikurui" July 1997.^[4]
• Major G. S. Jayanath , CR  † - attached to Commando Regiment, was awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya posthumously for his bravery and heroism.^[5]
• Capton C.M Daniels, CR  † - attached to Commando 1 Regiment killed during a LRRP mission deep in the Eastern jungles in October 1995.

Order of precedence

Preceded by President's Guard

Order of Precedence

Succeeded by Special Forces Regiment

See also

• Military of Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka Army
• Military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Army
• Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment
• Special Boat Squadron
• Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment Special Force
• Sri Lankan Civil War
• Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (Sri Lanka)

Further reading

• The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of U.S. Warfare by James F. Dunnigan^[6]
• Sri Lanka Army, 50 YEARS ON - 1949-1999, (1st Edition)^[7]

References

1. ^ "The Deadly Mahasohon Brigade". StrategyWorld.com. September 19, 2007. http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/200791921302.asp. 
2. ^ "Sri Lanka cites success against rebels". boston.com/AP News. July 9, 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/07/09/sri_lanka_cites_success_against_rebels/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Rescue Mission In Air". Sunday Observer. April 13, 2008. http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/04/13/mag02.asp. 
4. ^ Donating houses in memory fo Major Manjula Sarathchandra
5. ^ [1]
6. ^ Publisher : Citadel, Year:(June 1, 2003), Language: English, ISBN 0806524154 / ISBN 978-0806524153
7. ^ Publisher : Sri Lanka Army, Year : October 1999, ISBN : 995-8089-02-8

External links

• Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment
• Sri Lanka Army
• Ministry of Defence Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka, Special Operations and Counterterrorist Forces
• Commando Regiment Opens New Chapter in History:when it pinned the parachute badge (para badge) on twenty-four Maldivian officers and soldiers