Sri Lanka Rifle Corps

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Sri Lanka Rifle Corps


caption=Cap badge of the Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
dates= 1984 - Present
country=Sri Lanka
branch=Sri Lanka Army
type= Infantry
command_structure= Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
role=
size= 2 Battalions
current_commander=
current_commander_label=Centre Commandant
garrison=Army Headquarters, Colombo.
garrison_label=Regimental Centre
ceremonial_chief= Col W.D.L.P. Wickramasinghe
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-Commandant
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=SLRC
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
identification_symbol_2=
march=
mascot=
battles=Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War
notable_commanders=General Ranjan Wijeratne
anniversaries=

The Sri Lanka Rifle Corps (SLRC) a (reserve) regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. It is made up of two volunteer (reserve) battalions. It has been formed with personal from the central highlands and the many plantations in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.

History

The origins of the Rifle Corps can be traced back to the colonial era when the British planters in the central highlands of Ceylon formed a volunteer regiment called the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps in 1887 which was attached to the Ceylon Defence Force. This regiment was disbanded when the Ceylon Army was formed in 1949.

In the 1980's the management of the many plantations called for the recreation of a volunteer Rifle Corps in the highlands. Due these requests two battalions were raised in Pallekele and Neuchatel Estate Neboda on 15th February 1985 by BrigadierG.R.Jayasinghe , assisted by Lt-Colonel Wettasinghe and Captain P.Abeyratne. The first commanding Officers were Lieutenant Colonel(later General) Ranjan Wijeratne (2nd Battalion) who was the Chairman of the State Plantations Corporation and Lieutenant Colonel P.R Seneviratne (1st Battalion) who was the Chairman of the Janatha Estate Development Board.These two battalions have deployed in the Northern and Eastern Provinces due to the Civil War. Currently the regiment is deployed in the Central Province provide security to the vital sectors of Dams and hydroelectric projects.

Units

*1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
*2nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps

Notable members

*General Ranjan Wijeratne - Former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Minister of State for Defence.

Order of Precedence

ee also

*Sri Lanka Army
*Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps

External links and sources

* [http://www.army.lk Sri Lanka Army]
* [http://www.army.lk/regiment_regular_20.php Sri Lanka Rifle Corps]
* [http://www.ranjanwijeratnefoundation.org/about-sri-lanka-army-and-war-heroes.html ranjanwijeratnefoundation.org]